Three Years
by Problem Child1
Summary: "I was wondering if, well, maybe-" He broke their eye contact and looked down, running a hand through his hair. Why was he having so much trouble? It wasn't as if he's never done this before.TRORY
1. First Sightings

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.  
  
A/N: This is going to be a Rory/Dean story with a slight undertone of Trory. It's also my first Gilmore Girls story, so sorry if the characterization is a bit off.  
  
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She was the last person he expected to see here. In fact, they both were. Paris was the one he saw first. Well, not saw; her shouting led him to the Yale newsroom. The blonde was currently berating a freshman for an article that insulted Asher Fleming. Said freshman was on the verge of having a nervous breakdown.  
  
Tristan could have cared less if Paris was belly dancing around the room. His eyes were fixed on one thing: his Mary. Though she looked different, there were subtle hints that clued him in. The thick book on the desk and the coffee in one hand were reminders of the Chilton days. Her unwavering concentration once again allowed her to focus all her attention on the computer screen without noticing that she was being watched.  
  
On that note, Tristan groaned and turned out of the door entrance to lean against the wall. Running a hand through his hair, he thought of the last time he saw Rory. It was at the "Romeo & Juliet" play. That was three years ago. Three years without seeing her, and now five minutes in her presence and his inner-stalker was let out. Somehow, she was always in the back of his mind. It could be something trivial, such as being out with a brunette or seeing the classic book section at Barnes N Noble.  
  
He was so wrapped up in his own thoughts that he didn't see Rory exit the newsroom. She went the opposite way and was halfway down the hallway when Tristan realized what had happened. He watched her until she was out of eyesight. Sparing a glance in the newsroom again, he contemplated going back to James' dorm- whom he was visiting- when he was overcome with a sudden urge to see what Rory was reading.  
  
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Rory reread her review of the newest CD by The Concretes for had to be the third time. It was her calm amid the chaos. Doyle was making Anita, the girl two desks down from her, nervous by looking over his shoulder the whole time he wrote his article. Paris was still yelling at the poor boy that had the nerve to call her boyfriend "old" and "doesn't know what he's talking about." Of course, no one knew about Paris and Professor Fleming, so no one really paid attention as she caused this boy another seven years of therapy.  
  
She was concentrating so hard that she actually jumped when her cell phone rang. It could be two people- her mom or Dean. Dean was her "unofficial" boyfriend again. She refused to go out with him again until he finalized his divorce. This didn't mean that everyone was happy, though. Dean still had a small scar on his head from where Lindsay had thrown a toaster at him. Rory had Lindsay's purse thrown at her, just because Lindsay saw her walking down the street.  
  
Making a quick exit so Doyle wouldn't catch her, she answered the phone as soon as she got into the hallway.  
  
"Rory!" her mother exclaimed from the other end.  
  
"Hi, mom," Rory replied, deciding that if she was going out she might as well get some more coffee.  
  
"Are you coming home tomorrow?" Lorelai asked.  
  
"Tomorrow's Thursday," Rory pointed out.  
  
Lorelai pouted. "But there's a town meeting tomorrow, and it's just no fun throwing food and tormenting Taylor without you."  
  
"You have Luke to torment Taylor," Rory said.  
  
"But he won't throw food! C'mon, I'll buy you coffee," Lorelai bargained.  
  
Rory smiled. "Mom, you're dating the coffee supplier, therefore we get free coffee, so it doesn't really work."  
  
"But if I wasn't dating the supplier of the coffee, I'd buy it for you," Lorelai quickly replied.  
  
Rory pondered this a moment, rounding the corner. "Fine, I'll come."  
  
"Yay!" Lorelai squealed. "Remind me to buy you lots of shiny things."  
  
"It's noted," Rory replied. "What's so different about this town meeting?"  
  
She could hear he mother grinning with excitement as she answered, "Taylor wants all the buildings inspected and subsequently brought up to code, which would mean closing stores. There are too many potential riots that could break out for me to just tell you about. You need to experience the town's violent outbursts."  
  
Rory laughed. "I'll see you at six, what do you think?"  
  
"I think that you're my favorite daughter," Lorelai said. "And that Dean will be happy to see you."  
  
Rory blushed. "Mom!"  
  
"What?" Lorelai asked innocently. "I just invited him to sit with us."  
  
"I love you, mom."  
  
"Love you too, hon."  
  
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The first thing Rory noticed when she got back was Tristan. At her desk, feet propped up. Reading her review. She had to do a double take. What was he doing here? At her desk?  
  
"What are you doing here?" she inquired.  
  
Tristan looked up and smirked. "Hello to you too, Mary. I'm reading your review."  
  
"I can see that," Rory replied shortly. "What are you doing here? At Yale?"  
  
"I could ask you the same thing," he countered.  
  
Without missing a beat, Rory said, "I asked you first."  
  
"I'm visiting a friend for the Harvard/Yale game," he told her. "I heard Paris' dulcet tones, and investigated, and here I am." He gestured around. "Happy to see me?"  
  
"Not really, no," Rory replied honestly, pushing his feet off her desk.  
  
Tristan mocked hurt. "You wound me, Mary."  
  
"I guess these three years have taught you nothing. My name is still Rory, not Mary," she said drolly.  
  
Tristan just put his feet back up on the desk and leaned back slightly, hand behind his head and the smirk a permanent feature on his face. "What are you doing here, Mary?" He put the emphasis on 'Mary.' "Last I heard you were bound for Harvard."  
  
"Things change," Rory replied. "Get out of my chair."  
  
Tristan raised a suggestive eyebrow. "There's room for both of us." He patted his lap. Rory merely rolled her eyes. "What are you doing tonight?"  
  
"Studying for my test tomorrow," was the reply.  
  
"And tomorrow? What about then?"  
  
"Going home to see my mom."  
  
"Mary, are you avoiding me?" Tristan put a hand to his heart.  
  
Rory smiled a little bit. "No, I just have really good timing. Why don't you talk to Paris?"  
  
Just then, her editor came up. "Gilmore, who's this? Are you done with your article?"  
  
"Yeah, Doyle. I just need to print it out," Rory told him.  
  
Tristan stood up. "Tristan Dugrey. Pleasure to meet Rory's editor."  
  
Doyle raised an eyebrow at Rory. "What's he doing here?"  
  
"He's leaving. Just came to bug me." Rory started pushing him out of the newsroom. "Go!"  
  
"Why, Mary, I didn't know you were so eager to get me into your dorm room," Tristan teased.  
  
"Rory!" Paris called.  
  
Giving Tristan one final shove out of the newsroom and a yell of "It's Rory!" she turned to Paris. "Yes?"  
  
"Was that Tristan?" she asked.  
  
"Unfortunately," Rory sighed, gathering her things at her desk. "I'll see you later, ok?" Mr. Gellar had yet again made sure that Rory and Paris were rooming again. It was her life coach's request again that she finish her "journey" with Rory.  
  
With a small smile, Paris told her, "I'll be a little late tonight."  
  
Rory smiled, knowing that she could talk to Dean that way without having Paris interrupting with her yelling or her constant replies to Tim Russert on Meet the Press. "See you then."  
  
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A/N2: What do think? Should I continue? 


	2. After School Coffee

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.  
  
**Leni**- Thank you. I really tried to get into the L&R spirit, and was really hoping it sounded like an actual conversation that they'd have. That's the hardest part. Also, I love Doyle, and I love Jonathan, so any excuse to put him in is fine with me. g  
  
**Ms. Vaughn**- Wow! Thank you! This is going to sound like total brown-nosing, but I used your story "Only Hope" for inspiration with mine.  
  
More thank you's to **Andyra**, **DoRK47**, **smile1**, **Kristy Anne Halliwell (Krissy)**, **Sarah**, and **OTHlover04**. Thank you all so much. I loved your reviews!  
  
A/N: I'm going out of town on Saturday, so I won't be updating at all next week. I'll try to get another chapter done by then, but I make no promises, sorry. Ok, this started out with me wanting it to be a R/D with slight Trory, but due to popular demand, it's changed. Just switch the 'ships around. So it's gonna be Trory with slight R/D. Or something to that effect. I don't know, so just read the story. Please?  
  
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He was waiting for her after her last class. She didn't even want to know how he knew her class schedule, but she figured Paris had something to do with it.  
  
"Why are you here? Don't you have your friend to bug?" Rory asked, slightly irritated. The debate in her last class had not bidden well with her.  
  
"Nah, he's at work," Tristan replied, falling into step with her as she quickly made her way to the closest coffee stand.  
  
"Some friend he is, leaving you by yourself at Yale. Especially with people who are unfortunate enough to know you," Rory muttered.  
  
"Mary, if you keep talking like that I'm going to start thinking that you don't like me," Tristan said sardonically.  
  
Rory got to the stand, and groaned when she saw the line. Despite the uncomfortable silence, Tristan stayed by her. Finally, half out of boredom and half out of sheer interest, Rory asked, "How was military school?"  
  
He looked at her, genuinely surprised. But in a blink of an eye, his features shifted into his usual cocky grin. "Why, Mary, I didn't know you cared."  
  
Rory groaned again. "I knew it'd be impossible to have a civil conversation with you."  
  
Tristan inwardly kicked himself. For once, she was trying to have a decent conversation with him, and he was an arrogant asshole yet again. So he tried again. "I hated it."  
  
"What?" Rory asked, turning to look at him.  
  
Disdain evident, he repeated, "I hated it. Who actually likes military school? I had to get up at 5:30 every morning, and then there was lots of work."  
  
Rory giggled lightly. Tristan looked at her in mock annoyance. "Why are you laughing? Is my pain that funny?"  
  
"Yeah, it actually is." She laughed again. He looked at her with a raised eyebrow. "I'm trying to imagine you working."  
  
And then, before he could stop himself, out came the crude comment, complete with a leer. "Well, you don't have to imagine anything, if you'd like."  
  
Rory rolled her eyes. "One coffee."  
  
"Two," Tristan added, getting out his wallet. It was his way of apologizing for the remark. He was better than that now. There was just something about Rory Gilmore that brought out the crude part of him. The part reserved for when he was with his friends, or if someone really pissed him off.  
  
They were walking in silence, when Tristan asked, "So what's so important about going back to that little town tonight?"  
  
"Town meeting," Rory replied, as if that would explain everything. "My mom's new boyfriend won't throw food at people with her."  
  
Tristan raised an eyebrow. It was amused questioning. "You throw food at people? Mary, I didn't know you had it in you."  
  
"I don't, actually. My mom throws the food. I just comment on what Taylor talks about with her. Apparently tonight's issue is going to end in blood shed," she said, sipping her coffee.  
  
Tristan took note. She likes the town meetings. He wasn't really sure about the town meetings, seeing as he had never actually been in a small town for more than a couple of hours, and that was when he practiced for the play there. She had many quirks that drew him to her. Her coffee addiction for one thing. He didn't know anybody that could drink more coffee than her. Then again, for what he'd heard, she got it from her mother, so maybe there was someone out there as crazy as she was when it came to coffee and eating.  
  
"Tristan?" Rory asked, putting a hand on his arm. "You haven't said anything in about two minutes, which would usually be fine, but I thought that we were having an actual conversation that didn't end in my wanting to strangle you."  
  
"Glad I can bring that kind of reaction out in you, Mary," Tristan replied with a smirk. Rory just shook her head and took her hand off his arm. Tristan wanted to protest, liking the way her hand felt, but he resisted. Such things could lead to awkward questions that he'd rather avoid.  
  
Rory suddenly shoved her books into his arms and dove into her purse. "It's harder than it looks to hold coffee and books and be looking through your purse for your dorm key," was her explanation.  
  
Tristan looked down at her books. On the top was a novel he assumed wasn't part of the curriculum. "Main Street?"  
  
"It's a good book," Rory defended playfully.  
  
"I know. I just never pegged you for one that would read a satire of small towns." Tristan found the irony way too amusing to let go.  
  
Rory looked at him, amazed. "You've read Main Street? You've read anything that doesn't have half-naked girls on the cover?"  
  
"Ha ha, Mary," he replied. "I've read more than Playboy."  
  
"Could've fooled me," Rory muttered. She had paused halfway to the door when Tristan started talking about the book she was reading for the fifth time. She pushed the key into the door and opened it. She turned back around and took her books back. That's when she noticed how close she was to Tristan. His cologne smelt really good. She hated when he got all close to her like that. She stepped back into the threshold.  
  
Tristan inaudibly sighed, and was about to leave when he thought of something. "Hey, Mary, when do these town meetings of yours actually start?"  
  
"At seven. But mom always makes us late because she insists on bugging Luke at the last minute," Rory replied. "Why?"  
  
"So I'll know when to come annoy Paris without your interruptions," Tristan said.  
  
"I'll let her know to be on the look out," Rory said.  
  
And then he was there, staring at the door, cursing his luck for the twentieth time that the girl he spent three years trying to get over was at Yale instead of Harvard, like she was supposed to be.  
  
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Halfway to Stars Hollow, Rory's cell phone rang. "Hi, mom."  
  
"Hello, darling daughter. When are you getting here?" Lorelai wanted to know.  
  
"I'm about twenty minutes away," Rory replied.  
  
"Perfect!" Lorelai exclaimed. "We'll have plenty of time to be late. How was school today?"  
  
"Mom, I'm gonna be home in twenty minutes," Rory pointed out.  
  
"Yeah, but I'm bored now. Tell me a story!" Lorelai decided.  
  
Rory sighed. "Mom, how old are you?"  
  
"Four," Lorelai happily replied. "Tell me a story!"  
  
Rory paused a moment, trying to decide whether or not to tell her mom about Tristan coming back just yet, when she heard something in the background. "Mom, what are you listening to?"  
  
"Styx," she replied.  
  
"Why are you listening to Styx?" Rory questioned. "You told me that you've hated them since the summer dad went through his classic rock phase and sang the chorus of 'Lorelei' to you every time he saw you."  
  
"It's Luke's," Lorelai finally admitted. "I told him he didn't like Styx, and he didn't take it too well."  
  
"Who knew? Luke, a closet Styx fan. Did you tell him why?" Rory asked.  
  
"Yeah, and then he told me that one song isn't enough to go on, and then told me no more coffee until I listened to at least a whole CD from them," Lorelai pouted.  
  
"I'll see you in a few minutes, and then we can gang up on Luke together," Rory suggested.  
  
"I love you, hon," Lorelai said.  
  
"Love you, too, mom," Rory replied, hanging up.  
  
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Rory pulled up to Luke's diner with seven minutes to spare. Her mom was at the counter leaning over it and asking Luke for coffee, claiming in her defense that she listened to a whole Styx CD.  
  
"Hi, mom," Rory said.  
  
Forgetting her coffee quest for the moment, Lorelai rushed over to her daughter and enveloped her in a tight hug. "Tell me all about Yale!"  
  
Rory laughed. "It's still the same."  
  
"Hi, Rory," Luke said.  
  
"Hi, Luke," Rory cheerily replied. "Coffee?"  
  
"It's scary how much you're like your mom," Luke stated. He turned his attention to the last customer. "We're closing for the town meeting."  
  
"Well, I can't miss that," the customer replied.  
  
Rory froze. There was no way. He couldn't be here. "Tristan?"  
  
The arrogant smirk made its appearance. "Hello, Mary."  
  
"Are you stalking me?" she asked in disbelief.  
  
"Well, Mary, I was here first, so technically you're stalking me," Tristan pointed out.  
  
_Oh, yes_, Rory thought with a groan. _He's here and just as infuriating as ever. Damn._


	3. Townies Unite!

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Oh, I liked the long review! Thank you! I like weird words, so it was all good. I saw 'sardonically' in a fic once (I can't remember which one) and I just thought it was an awesome word. So thank you, again!

**four51**- Thank you. It takes a long time, and actually quite a lot of research to try to find references that I think would suite, so thank you!

More thank you's to** OTHlover04 **and **smile1**.Thank you all so much. I loved your reviews!

A/N: Ok, my vacation pulled a total mindfuck on me, so I just, I don't know. But it's bad, and made me forget stuff. So sorry that it took a while to update. Plus, the Philadelphia airport is cold, so that had something to do with it. Oh, and the rating went up, mostly due to my own bad language, as you can see above.

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"That's Tristan?" Lorelai whispered to Rory. "I always thought he'd be a brunette."

Tristan got up and strode over to the three Stars Hollow residents. "Are we going to this thing or not?"

"If by 'we,' you mean Luke, my mom, and I then you're correct," Rory replied.

"Mary, this town meeting was all you could talk about all day, and now you're denying me?" Tristan teased.

Luke came out from behind the counter, and Lorelai took his hand. She grabbed her coffee and fries in the other hand. Luke turned off the lights, signaling that he no longer wanted to argue about this and just wanted to go to the town meeting.

Rory walked next to her mother. "Bye, Tristan."

He just smirked and followed after her. "Don't think you're getting rid of me that easy, Mare. What do you say, Ms. Gilmore, should I be allowed to go? I'll be on my best behavior." He gave Lorelai his most charming smile.

They were outside by now, just starting their short walk to the meeting. Lorelai pondered Tristan's well covered-up plead. She knew what was going on, but wouldn't mention it to her daughter. "Only if you promise to call me Lorelai."

Tristan gave Rory a self-satisfied smirk. She just rolled her eyes and asked her mom, "Why do you feel the need to punish your only daughter?"

"Well, he promised to be on his best behavior. And besides," Lorelai whispered, "he has way too much of Christopher's charm for his own good."

The rest of the way was walked in silence, until they got to the meeting, three minutes late. Lane, Gil, Zach, and Brian were standing up wearing some of their best clothes.

"Hey," Rory said to Lane as she passed by her. "What's going on?"

"We're trying to get Taylor to let us play at the Christmas Festival this year," Lane replied.

"Isn't that in a month?" Rory asked.

Lane rolled her eyes. "You know Taylor. He always wants to plan ahead."

"Good luck," Rory whispered, following her mom and Luke to where Dean was saving them seats. She smiled shyly at him, forgetting Tristan was behind her, until Dean's face went ashen.

"What's he doing here?" Dean asked as Rory slid in next to him. Luke and Lorelai sat next to her, followed by Tristan at the end. Lorelai reached over Luke to give Rory her coffee and fries, then offered some to Tristan.

"My mom let him come. I think Joan Crawford's invaded her body," Rory said.

"Quiet, please!" Taylor snapped at them. "We will now vote for the band to play, if they agree not to play any of that loud ruckus they call music."

Rory looked back to see Brian holding Zach back. "We don't want to play your stupid Festival if we're not allowed to play what we want," Zach hollered.

Lane looked at him, stricken. "Zach!"

"Let them play, Taylor. Music is free speech," Morey said from the back.

Taylor sighed. "Who thinks this band should play?" Most of the hands went up, much to his dismay. "Fine, they will play. But one mistake and I'm bumping you."

Lane had a look of pure glee on her face. Though trying to remain cool, she had a huge grin on her face and was hugging the rest of her band mates.

"Onto the next issue," Taylor was saying. "I feel that we need to have the businesses inspected for termites and other pests. This will mean closing down some businesses, of course-"

"I'm not shutting down my diner, Taylor," Luke interrupted.

"I agree!" Lorelai shouted. "The coffee stays!"

"Luke, this is an important matter. Your diner is a hotspot for bugs, and my soda shop is in danger of becoming infected also," Taylor tried to reason.

"There's nothing wrong with my diner, and you should've thought of that before you took the spot next to me," Luke replied, irritated.

Rory dared to glance at Tristan, to find him staring straight ahead, much to her surprise. She didn't know why, but she didn't like it that he wasn't looking at her or trying to get her attention or making snide remarks.

Ms. Patty, from her spot next to Taylor's podium, voiced her opinion. "We shouldn't shut our businesses down just because you don't like bugs, Taylor. None of us can afford it."

While Ms. Patty and Taylor continued to bicker, Tristan leaned over to Lorelai and whispered, "I thought Rory said there was going to be fighting?"

"Be patient." She pointed to Luke. "If Taylor doesn't cave soon, seeing as he's outnumbered, Luke may jump up and try to strangle him."

"Does this happen a lot?"

"Only on days ending with the letter 'y,'" came the reply. "I think now would be a good time to talk about you and Rory."

Tristan was startled by her abruptness. "Excuse me?"

"Don't play dumb, I've seen how you look at her. Rory is a special girl. She's been hurt." Lorelai looked over at Dean for a split second, something Tristan didn't miss.

"Ms. Gilmore-"

"Call me Lorelai or I will be forced to hurt you," she interrupted.

Tristan flashed her a smile. "Ok, Lorelai, I have no intention of hurting Rory."

"So stop being a pain in the ass and be nice. Use that Dugrey charm," she teased. On his off look, she elaborated, "Your grandfather used to come to parties at my parent's house. They were the only ones I didn't try to get out of. And that's saying something, considering Chris wasn't at any of these parties."

"Is Chris Rory's dad?" he asked. "This is the second time you've mentioned him today."

It was Lorelai's turn to look surprised. "You heard that?"

"Well, you don't talk softly and I was right behind Rory."

Lorelai grinned. "We're gonna be great friends, you and I."

It was then that Luke jumped up from his seat and yelled, "That's bullshit, Taylor! I'm not closing my diner so you can feed your paranoid delusions!"

"Where will Lulu and I have our wedding reception?" Kirk added loudly.

"You're engaged?" Babette squealed. "That's great, sugah!"

"Well, not yet, I still have to ask her," Kirk admitted. "Luke, will you be my best man?"

"No," Luke growled. "And you're not having the reception in my diner."

Ms. Patty clapped her hands together. "This is great. Do you want a spring, summer, fall, or winter wedding? Oh, we have so much to plan. Do you have the ring?"

"People, people," Taylor called out. "Can we get back on topic, please?"

He was ignored, his plea forgotten, as Ms. Patty and Babette grabbed Kirk's ring box and started showing it around. Kirk was torn between trying to get it back and telling everyone not to tell Lulu. Taylor was banging his gavel on the podium in vain. And in the middle of all the chaos, the town troubadour was there, writing a song and strumming along with his guitar.


	4. Pumpkin Pie

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- Hmm, well, your review did actually help, and thank you for the suggestions. Made me think about everything. I like the Lorelai and Tristan friendship aspect because I feel that they could be good friends, despite Lorelai's biased toward him because of his tormenting of Rory. Ok, well, I'd say more about it, but I woke up like, an hour ago, so I'm tired. But I'm really glad you're enjoying my story!

**Ms. Vaughn**- Mindfuck is an awesome word. I encourage you to use in everyday life and see how people react. Same with asshat.

**JeNsEnS wifey ChAdZ lover**- I loved your story!

**four51**- I love you. You helped everything. Like I mentioned above, I'm tired, but... I don't know. I really don't have anything else to say but thank you.

More thank yous to **sooty7sweep**, **bebe5975**, **OTHlover04**, **Robin2**, **smile1**, **Callista NicTeryn**, and of course **PomegranateQueen**. I love you!

A/N: I procrastinate. It's what I do. I'm a perfectionist when it comes to procrastination. So, really, you can't yell at me to update sooner when I become nervous and twitchy if I don't procrastinate enough. It's a disease. I'm sorry. I'm getting help. Plus, it took me forever and a fucking day to get that goddamn "cookie" thing figured out. And here I am, thinking that cookies are just something you eat.

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"What the hell are you doing here?" Dean growled to Tristan as soon as the meeting was adjourned.

The rest of the meeting had gone over surprisingly well after Kirk's announcement. Taylor's bug inspection failed however, mostly due to Gypsy and Andrew's warnings that if he tried to get them to shut down their businesses one more time, they'd release Luke. Luke had become particularly fed up and tried to attack Taylor, prompting Gypsy and Andrew to do their best to restrain him.

Tristan regarded the taller boy carefully. As much as he wanted to pound Dean into the ground, his saner part told him that it wouldn't bode well with Rory. So all her did was put his hands up and take a step back. "I just came here for the show."

Dean just nodded calmly, and threw a punch. Tristan dodged it and went for Dean's stomach. The brown haired boy caught his wrist in his left hand. Tristan glanced down at the hand holding his arm and smirked.

"Nice tan."

Dean responded by putting the blond in a headlock. Tristan elbowed his opponent in the stomach, thus getting away for the time being. Dean punched him in the jaw, and Tristan mimicked the move. If military school taught him one thing, it was how to give and receive a punch.

Rory stood in numb horror, watching the two duke it out in front of the whole town. She regained her voice when they stopped for a moment to breathe, and was able to scream, "Stop it!" when Tristan tackled Dean.

Dean was in mid-kick and Tristan had him in a headlock when they heard Rory scream. Both boys looked up at her to see the tears forming in her eyes. They looked back at each other and slowly backed away. Rory stared back at them for a moment, then turned and ran the other way.

Dean and Tristan both tried to get up at the same time, resulting in the tripping over of each other. The two finally managed to get up and glared at the other one. Luke got between them and grabbed each in a bruising grip.

"You," he said to Dean, "go back to your house. And you," Luke turned to stare down Tristan. "To the diner." When neither boy moved, Luke barked, "Now!"

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Lorelai followed her daughter to the bridge on the edge of town. Rory was sitting on the edge looking down at the water below. She was absentmindedly fidgeting with the watch on her left wrist.

"Ror?" Lorelai asked quietly. Rory just looked up at her mother, then back down at the water. Lorelai took this as an opportunity to sit down next to her and put an arm around her daughter. Rory leaned her head against her mom's shoulder.

"Did they stop?" Rory finally asked.

"As soon as you left," Lorelai replied.

Rory wrapped her arms around her torso, valiantly trying to fight off the night's cold. "Why do they have to fight?"

"Well, sweetie," Lorelai began. "It all started when man was created. Man was possessive and liked to fight."

Rory sighed. "But this time, Tristan didn't even do anything. Sure, he just showed up out of no where, but Dean should trust me. Especially since he was the one that got married, not me."

"It's a mystery, babe." Lorelai kissed the top of Rory's head and got up, pulling her daughter with her. "I think the best thing to do would to go get some coffee and pumpkin pie from Luke's, and then you can go back to your dorm and I can go home and we can call each other and eat ice cream and pretend we're sitting right next to each other."

The two Lorelai's began their walk toward Luke's. "What about Luke?" Rory inquired.

Lorelai just smiled at her. "I'm sure he can survive one night without me."

Rory giggled slightly and leaned her head against her mom's shoulder again.

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Much to Rory's surprise, Tristan and Luke were sitting in the diner, talking. Well, actually, Luke was talking and Tristan was listening to the older man threaten him on what he would do if he hurt Rory in any way, shape or form.

The two stopped talking when the Gilmore girls entered the diner. Tristan got up quickly, left three dollars on the table he was sitting at and brushed past Rory, refusing to look at her.

"What was that about?" Lorelai asked Luke. "Heart to heart?"

"Oh, it's like a Lifetime movie!" Rory suggested.

"Luke's really his long lost father, and his mother- played by Candice Bergen- was killed by a stray bullet while getting him food when he was two." Lorelai grinned as she came up her with her most recent movie plot.

"I was just talking to him," Luke answered, wiping down a few tables.

Lorelai looked back at Rory. "I think somebody misses their son." She went behind the counter to get some pie, but Luke stopped her and turned her around. She pouted until Luke gave her and Rory a plate with pumpkin pie on it.

"What, no whipped cream?" Lorelai asked, examining her pie from all different angles. Luke reached behind the counter and handed her a can. Lorelai beamed at him. "You're an angel."

Rory laughed. "I should get going. Luke, coffee for the road?"

Luke sighed, but gave it to her anyway. Rory beamed. "Thanks, Luke. Bye, Mom." She kissed Lorelai on the cheek.

"Bye, hon. Call me when you get to your dorm," Lorelai called after her.

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Back at Yale, while Rory talked to her mom, Tristan was sprawled out on his friend's couch and watching TV. Said friend was sitting on the floor studying for a "killer" test he had the next day.

Tristan wasn't even paying attention to the TV. All he could think about was Rory and what Luke had said to him. He wondered if anyone cared about him that way. The look in Rory's eyes, which he would never forget. He felt as though he had let her down in some way. All he wanted to do was scream, "It was bag boy's fault!" but as Luke pointed out, she didn't care whose fault it was, just that they'd fought.

"Fuck," he muttered out loud, running a hand through his hair.

James looked up at him. "What?"

Tristan waved it off. "Never mind. Just thinking about someone."

James grinned. "Oh," was all he said.


	5. Chocolate Chip Pancakes

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- Your wish is my command.

**four51**- Ok, I feel the need to explain to you: it sucked. I realized this. But, I needed it. Why? It was a filler. I couldn't have this chapter with the last chapter. I feel I should have some witty quote to go with my explanation, but I don't.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Asshat is an awesome word. The use it on the TWoP boards to describe Digger... LoL! Parental Units are stupid. I was thinking about my advice to you about mindfuck, and I realized, hmm... maybe I should've said not to use it around parents. But as long as you didn't get into too much trouble, that's all that matters. Oh, god, the cookie thing. I have no idea what it was, but it wasn't letting me log into things on my computer. It was probably just my fucked up computer, but I digress. Dean! I love Dean! I'm making 'Free Dean!' shirts! OK, but, seriously, I really didn't like Lindsay. She was pretty and all, but her eyes freaked me out. I can just imagine Dean at night laying in bed(shirtless, of course), and looking over at his wife in the middle of the night, and seeing her eyes glow. Seeing as I know you watch Alias, Lindsay is Lauren- evil with a confusing accent. And too much eye make up. Ok, I don't really know about the eye make up thing. Also, don't worry about the luring me away from school thing- I procrastinate enough so that any encouragement to do so is just redundant. So, really, it's not your fault. I'm also gonna guess that you live on the east coast or something because(don't kill me), my school doesn't start until September. Then again, you get out in May, so I have to be jealous. This is long.

More thank you's to** smile1, PomegranateQueen **(I love your name!), and **Sarah**. You really made it all worth it!Thank you all so much. I loved your reviews!

A/N: This chapter is coming a lot sooner than I expected and is longer than any of my other chapters. The idea for this chapter has been rolling around in my head since I started the story, so I hope it's good. It's probably also the reason the last chapter was such shit. One word: filler.

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As the knocking became more persistent, Rory realized that she could not get rid of the person on the other side of the door just by rolling over and putting a pillow over her ears. Sighing, she put one leg out from under her comforter and felt around for her slippers. The knocking continued.

"Hold on!" she yelled. Rory lifted her head up to look at the clock and promptly put it back down again. With a sigh, she propelled herself up and out of her bed. Just a few seconds later, she flung the door open and looked at the person of whom she was personally going to kill for waking her up this early.

"I hate you," was the simple greeting she gave said person, and tried to slam the door. Unfortunately, this person was not willing to give up so easily and held a hand out to stop the door.

"Now, Mary, we both know you don't mean that," Tristan said, laying on the charm thickly. It was for show, really. He knew that the only person that didn't respond to his charm was Rory.

"What are you doing here? At this time?" Rory asked, yawning widely.

"I need reasons to see you now? Well, if you insist, I just came to apologize. But seeing as you don't want me here, I'll just take my coffee and leave." He turned dramatically and put a leg up as if to leave.

Rory thought about this a moment, then opened the door a bit wider. "You have five minutes."

Tristan smirked and bent down to get the coffee. Rory walked over to the couch and took both cups of coffee he offered her. "Why aren't you getting ready for class on this lovely Friday morning?" Tristan asked.

"Because I, unlike my other unfortunate suite mates, do not have a class until nine. Why are you up? It's 6:30 in the morning," Rory whined. "You should be sleeping, like the normal people do."

"Au contraire, military time has been instilled into my mind, and I naturally wake up at 5:30 every morning," Tristan countered. "Now, I've come here to apologize for acting like an asshole yesterday, and no apology to a Gilmore girl is complete without breakfast. So get dressed."

"You can't order me around." Rory yawned again.

Tristan just looked amused. "And what were you planning on doing for breakfast? Going down the cafeteria? Tsk, tsk, I have never seen you turn down free food. Ever."

Rory raised an eyebrow in response. "You've never seen anyone offer me free food."

Tristan sighed, annoyed. "Do you want to go out to breakfast or not?"

Rory thoughtfully pondered this, well aware that Tristan was becoming more and more annoyed with every second she didn't answer. She knew the answer she was going to give him; however, she just liked keeping him in suspense. It was when she was almost half down with her second cup of coffee that she answered. "Sure. I'll be ready in half an hour. Wait here."

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"You have a Ferrari." It was more of a statement than a question.

"Yeah. Present from my father for graduating from military school without any more embarrassing stunts," Tristan replied, opening up her door.

"He sounds like a regular Mr. Rodgers," Rory commented.

"That's my father, your friendly cardigan-wearing friend," Tristan sarcastically said, turning on the car and blasting the heater.

"You have seat warmers!" Rory squealed, playing with the temperature gage on the side.

Tristan glanced at her from out of the corner of her eye. She looked so happy, just playing with seat warmers. He liked seeing her smile. "If I had known you were so easy to please I would've taken you out to eat sooner."

"And that wasn't filled with any kind of sexual innuendo," Rory said dryly.

Tristan laughed and turned on the music. "Hope you like the Foo Fighters."

"Are you kidding? I love the Foo Fighters!" Rory gushed. "Lane and I always dreamed of becoming guitarists for them!"

Tristan paused a moment. "Didn't Lorelai say that Lane played the drums?"

Rory just waved her hand in his direction. "We don't let silly technicalities like that get in our way."

Tristan chuckled to himself. "Is that right?"

Rory mock glared at him. "You're patronizing me!"

"I am not!" he protested.

"You are," she replied stubbornly. "Turn here."

Tristan obeyed and turned into the IHOP parking lot. "Are you sure this is where you want to eat?"

"I'm pretty positive, otherwise I wouldn't have told you to turn in," Rory replied dryly, already out of the car. She tightened the scarf around her neck.

Tristan ran a hand through his hair and got out of the car. Rory was halfway across the parking lot and had her hands on her hips. She was just standing there, waiting for him, looking cute with her blue striped scarf.

"Why here?" he asked when he caught up to her.

She looked at him as if she couldn't believe he even had to ask. "Chocolate chip pancakes."

"Of course, how could I be so stupid?" he said sarcastically, stepping in front of her to hold the door open.

"Such a gentleman," marveled Rory.

"Now who's being patronizing?" Tristan teased.

"Still you," she quipped.

"Two?" the hostess asked. Tristan nodded in response. "Right this way."

They sat in silence for a few minutes after being seated until Tristan asked, "What class do you have at nine?"

"American Literature," came the reply.

"Journalism major?" he guessed.

"You're very intuitive," Rory said sardonically.

Tristan smirked. "It's a gift."

After her third cup of coffee of the day, Rory asked, "What about you? What college do you go to?"

Smirking again, Tristan laced his fingers together and leaned back against his seat. "Guess."

Rory pouted. "You suck."

"I also bite and lick, but why talk about it when I could give you a demonstration?" he asked with a leer.

Rory rolled her eyes. "You're gross."

"Yet you love me. Now guess."

"Fine. Harvard?" She was starting with the obvious, seeing as he did say he was here for the game tomorrow.

"Nope."

"Princeton?"

"No."

"Stanford?"

"Nope."

Rory was becoming frustrated. "NYU? Berkley? University of Connecticut?"

"No, no, and yeah right."

She threw her hands up in the air. "I give up!"

Tristan laughed. "I'm taking the year off."

"You jerk!" she cried. "I never would've guessed that! And you know that!"

He just laughed and laughed.

"Are you done?" she asked drolly, taking a sip of coffee.

Tristan composed himself, but had to bite back a grin when he saw the look on her face. It was cute; a mixture of annoyance and fatigue. On anyone else, it would be not one you'd want to see, but Rory made every facial gesture look beautiful. "Yes."

"Good, because the waiter's here."

The waiter quickly took their order, than left the two alone again.

"I heard about your grandparent's divorce," Tristan said, breaking the silence that was threatening to become uncomfortable.

Rory froze and slowly lifted her head up to give him a perfect impression of a deer-in-the-headlights. Her grandparent's divorce was a high-profile one, somewhat akin to the Gellar's divorce back when they went to Chilton.

Tristan meanwhile was inwardly kicking himself for bringing up such a subject. Who wants to talk about divorce, anyway? "I'm sorry, I-"

Rory cut him off. "It's ok. We just don't talk about it at my house, is all. It's a taboo subject, such as the Liza/David wedding or anything involving Michael Jackson."

Tristan nodded, knowing what it was like not to talk about certain subjects in the presence of others.

Rory, feeling it was her turn to try small talk-and being naturally curious- inquired, "Why aren't you in school?"

Tristan laughed hollowly. "I have the rest of my life to go to business school so I can work for my father. And besides, he just hired someone new, so he can focus all his attention on him, giving me a free card for at least the rest of the year. Something Stiles. My grandfather does business with his father."

"Jason," Rory absentmindedly supplied for him.

"You know him?" Tristan looked at her, surprised.

Rory glanced down, her cheeks quickly turning pink. "My mom's ex-boyfriend," she said with a tone that suggested 'drop it.'

The food was served by two bored-looking waiters who couldn't be happier to get off their shift. Tristan was almost done with his food when a thought came to him.

"Still with the stock boy, huh?"

"Yes and no." Though she smiled when he brought him up, Tristan noticed. _Damn._

"Meaning?" he prompted.

She stalled. "It's complicated."

"Try me."

Rory sighed. "We broke up, he got married, we stayed friends, they didn't work out, I won't officially date him until the divorce is final." She conveniently left our the parts where they slept together and her mom not particularly trusting Dean.

"I'm not that girl," she added on afterthought, though she sounded more like she was trying to convince herself instead of Tristan.

"What girl?" Tristan asked.

"The home wrecker," Rory replied simply.

Tristan knew there was something she wasn't telling him, but didn't call her on it. Instead, he just cursed the stupid bagboy for yet again getting the girl, despite getting fucking married. It wouldn't matter if he became Lorelai's poster boy, he could never have the one thing he cared about.

_Shit._


	6. Parties and Shopping

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- I'm glad you liked the chapter. I had been planning the whole thing from chapter one, and I like that you enjoyed my revealing the Rory/Dean dynamic to Tristan. I figured that'd be the smartest thing to do. Plus, I just like writing Tristan's reactions because he uses all my favorite words. Ok, drunken sailor alert. Anywho, I like writing small talk for Rory and Tristan, because they wouldn't just immediately go into a debate on Jane Austen. I don't even think Tristan would like Jane Austen... So, thank you so much. I always wait for your reviews.

**Ms. Vaughn**- I'm ecstatic that I could cheer you up. Hmm... August 25th to June 9th... that's not too bad. Mine's September 7th to June.... um, 20th maybe? I'm not quite sure, actually. But, I do know that Illinois can be boring. Well, not Illinois, but the mid-west in general. My whole family lives in Kansas, except for one aunt who lives in California. Cue Phantom Planet, because I live here too. Orange County, actually. They tried to change our airport from John Wayne to The OC airport. Got rejected, thank god. I heard about Alias! I couldn't believe it! But, Lauren's dead (or at least that's what Melissa George said when she said she was filming and wouldn't be coming back). But Sark's only going to be in four or five episodes, which makes me sad, and no Irina. Ok, no more Alias talk for now. I'm sorry about your cousins. And hopefully, my procrastination skills did fail, because I neither know what day it is or what day I posted it. So, cross my fingers that they did!

**Smile1- **I was really trying to go for simple; no other characters, except for the hostess who got a total of three words. I'm glad you liked the bite and lick thing. I always read these stories where Rory will say things like that, but Tristan doesn't say anything dirty, and that's the perfect opportunity. So, in conclusion, I'm happy you liked it and I like your incredibly original story a lot.

**four51**- gives you big hug There's nothing wrong with babbling. I frequently do that, as seen above. Glad you liked the conversation. It took me at least 3 hours to come up with the whole thing. No, I'm not kidding. 11 at night to about 1 in the morning. That's 3 hours, right? I'm too lazy to try to do the math. But I love your reviews. And, I haven't mentioned this before because I always forget, but I like the whole naming-your-chapters-after-songs aspect. It's clever. Especially since I love all the songs on the soundtrack.

More thank yous to **OTHlover04**, **Allison**, and **PomegranateQueen** (welcome!) . I love you!

A/N: I actually had fun writing this chapter. Not that I don't usually have fun writing, but this one was fun. It's a pointless chapter, really, but I liked it. There's no Trory interaction, and I'm suddenly regretting telling you all that, but there's something close. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

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Tristan managed to drop Rory off a whole forty-five minutes before her class started, giving her time to study a bit before. The rest of the breakfast had gone rather well, despite a few more awkward pauses. The longest conversation included a variety of topics ranging from her mom to his time at military school. It almost made him forget that she was still, in fact, out of his reach. Almost.

So now he was lounging on James's couch, waiting for him to get out of class, and watching cartoons. _Family Guy_, to be exact. He couldn't think of anybody who loved the show more than James. He had a complete entertainment unit brought out to the suite common room just so he could watch the box set DVDs better.

At ll:20, James came barreling into his room and began his hunt for something. He lifted up everything; papers, books, cushions, even Tristan's legs. He finally gave up and decided to ask Tristan.

"Have you seen my Social Politics paper?"

"No," Tristan replied. "How'd the test go?"

"Tedious," came the reply from under the kitchen table. "My last class of the day in-" James looked down at his watch. "Crap! Six minutes!"

Tristan got up and helped look for the paper. After just two minutes, James stood up triumphantly and headed for the door. "Found it. I've got work at one, but there's a party at the room across the hall tonight."

Tristan briefly thought back to Rory, but remembered her mentioning something about dinner with her Grandma, so he made up his mind to go to the party.

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Rory sighed and collapsed against her bed, silently cursing Tristan for seducing her with breakfast, making her get up at 6:30 in the morning. If she was lucky, she could get in a nap before going to her Grandmother's house, perhaps even a bit of homework. She had just shut her eyes when the door opened and Paris barged in.

"We need to go shopping."

Rory opened one eye to look at her frazzled roommate who was currently pacing back and forth. Her frazzled roommate who hate shopping. "Reason?"

"Asher and mine's one year anniversary is tomorrow, and I have nothing to wear," Paris explained.

_Flashback to sophomore year_, Rory thought. Somehow she knew all of this was Tristan's fault for waking her up so early.

"We're stopping for coffee first," agreed Rory.

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Rory found her mom waiting for her as she pulled up to her grandparent's estate. Emily got the house while Richard was out of town, which was turning out to be a lot more often than usual.

"I think Mom's having a party," Lorelai whispered in a conspiratorial manner.

"What's your evidence?" Rory asked.

Lorelai gestured around. "Are these your cars?" Sure enough, there were four or five cars also parked in the driveway.

"No. Are they yours?" Rory replied.

"How would I get them all here?" Lorelai pointed out. "Change of subject: Tell Mommy all about your day."

Rory pointed to the door. "Are you going to knock?"

Lorelai grinned. "You changed the subject."

"Knock, please," Rory repeated.

"Wasn't planning on it," her mom replied.

"Mom," Rory warned.

"Daughter," Lorelai warned back. "Fine, I'll knock." Lorelai walked up to the door, prepared to knock. Right as she put her hand up, the door opened. "That is too creepy."

Emily, ignoring Lorelai's comment, exclaimed, "Lorelai! Rory! I thought I heard your voices."

"Hi, Mom," Lorelai said.

"Well, come in." Emily was looking happier than she had the last times they had seen her. There was music coming from one of the many rooms that frequently held parties, Lorelai noted as she took off her jacket.

"What's going on, Mom?" Lorelai asked.

Emily ushered them into the party room, where there were eight to ten people mingling around. "You see, Janlan and Helen are in town for the weekend. I figured the only proper thing to do was to throw them a small get together."

"Janlan?" Rory questioned, fearing of what the answer may be.

"Yes, Janlan DuGray," Emily replied. "I believe you went to Chilton with their grandson." Lorelai started to snicker behind her hand. "Lorelai, what's so funny?"

Lorelai composed herself, but couldn't keep the knowing smirk off her face as she glanced at her daughter. "Nothing, Mom. So Janlan and Helen are here?"

Emily beamed. "Yes. In fact, they're coming this way right now. Lorelai, behave."

"I'll refrain from having a sudden regression in behavior," Lorelai replied with a straight face.

"Emily, lovely party." Janlan's eyes landed on Rory and Lorelai. "Why, Emily, you didn't tell me you had sisters."

"Janlan, you remember my daughter, correct?" Emily asked, nudging Lorelai forward a bit.

Janlan took Lorelai's hand and brushed his lips over her knuckles. "Lorelai, you've grown. The last time I saw you-"

"Straub and Francine had just kicked me out of Christopher's sixteenth birthday for dancing on the tables," Lorelai finished. "Rory, sweets, meet Janlan and Helen."

"Lorelai, is this your daughter?" Helen held out her hand for Rory to shake. "She looks so much like you."

"It's the coffee," Lorelai joked. "Speaking of which, Mom, the drinks?"

Emily rolled her eyes. "Over there."

Lorelai walked over to the wet bar with Rory in tow. "You really got kicked out of dad's sixteenth birthday party?" Rory asked.

"Chris and I decided it'd be fun to see who could handle the most liquor," Lorelai explained, pouring herself a martini.

"Naturally," Rory dead-panned. "And was I around at this time?"

"Not at that time," Lorelai said. "But there was this one time that-"

"Mom!" Rory exclaimed.

"I'm kidding!"

"You're not funny."

"Sure I am." Lorelai smiled at her daughter. "Now, I can have Luke call in fifteen minutes telling us there's been an emergency, if you'd like."

Rory raised an eyebrow. "What kind of emergency?"

"Touché. That wouldn't work. Sookie! Emergency at the inn!" Lorelai suddenly burst out. "But that would leave you stranded here without your only source of amusement."

"I'm glad your inferiority complex has disappeared," Rory replied sarcastically.

"I guess we'll have to keep thinking of a plan. Now-" Lorelai put an arm around her daughter. "You never told me how your day has been."

"I thought you'd forgotten."

"A Lorelai never forgets," was the reply.

"You're insane."

"Thank you."


	7. The Orange Sherbet

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**not4me**- If you strike, I'll cry. And then stop shopping... oh, wait, wrong strike, sorry. But I'll still cry... lots. It'll be sad, and I'll make weird faces when I cry. It's not pretty.

**Ms. Vaughn**- I know! My procrastination skills have been failing me lately, this chapter as Exibit A. Curses, I hope it's not like this during school... Anyway, I happen to think the OC is the funniest show I've seen in a while. It's great. The only actually filmed the wedding scene in Newport... which you probably don't care about, so I'll stop. Yeah, I have an Italian friend with the last name Canatelli. Or spelled something like that, I'm not really sure. Family Guy! Family Guy rocks! I love Stewie. I just figured that even in this world, guys are obsessed with that brilliant show. Ok, you've caught me. I'm Amy Sherman-Palladino. I admit it with pride.

More thank you's to** smile1, PomegranateQueen, OTHlover04**, and** Padfoot n' Moony**. You really made it all worth it!Thank you all so much. I loved your reviews!

A/N: Do not get used to this. Please. It's very much a one time thing. All of the sudden I'm just all inspired last night. I don't know what came over me. It's 1:30, I'm not tired, and I'm just writing. It's crazy. It's not going to be long, either. At least, I don't think so. I mean, it was five notebook pages, but I forgot what that translates to in computer pages. My train of thought distresses me. I'll just write out what I have.

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The next time Tristan saw Rory was Tuesday night when Paris invited him over. He had been booted by James due to an overzealous girlfriend getting an 'A' on a test. Paris took some sort of pity on him (a foreign concept when referring to Paris) and told him to come over for a few hours.

Rory was curled up next to him n the couch studying from a thick book. She was chewing on the cap of her highlighter. Used Chinese containers were strewn on the couch, table, and floor. Neither girl seemed to notice or care, however.

Tristan flipped off the TV and announced, "I'm bored."

"You've been here fifteen minutes," Paris pointed out from her spot on the floor where she was typing up a paper for one of her pre-med classes.

"And you two have done nothing but work," he argued. "Let's go get ice cream."

Rory got up and stretched, showing a bit of skin as she raised her hands over her head. Tristan had to literally move his head away so he could concentrate on what she was saying. "Tristan's right."

"Glad you could finally see that," Tristan piped up, folding his hands behind his neck so he could lean against them.

"Don't get used to it, I just want ice cream and seeing how you've gotten into the habit of offering free food whenever I'm around..." she trailed off a little bit toward the end, then frowned and added, "I forgot where I was going with that."

"I don't have time for ice cream breaks, I have a paper to work on," Paris stressed.

"Do you want us to bring you back some?" Rory asked.

"Cookies 'n' Crème," Paris replied. She paused, and then added on an afterthought, "Please."

"We'll be back soon," Rory promised. She and Tristan grabbed their coats and made their way out. He started to his car, but Rory grabbed his wrist and pulled him the other way. "It's just a couple blocks away."

"So Paris-" Tristan began after a few minutes of silence. He unconsciously rubbed the back of his neck.

Rory nodded. "Yeah, Paris."

"She seems less stressed," he offered.

"She is," Rory agreed. "She's been better since getting a life coach."

Tristan raised an eyebrow. "Life coach?"

"She saw it on _Oprah_ or _Dr. Phil_ or one of those talk shows," Rory explained, turning a corner so _Baskin Robins_ was in sight at the end of the street.

He smirked. "She never struck me as a daytime talk show kind of person, but I guess you never know."

Rory held up her hands. "Don't look at me. I was just as surprised when she became my roommate."

"And we're back to the Yale subject. Pray tell, how did you of all people end up going here?" Tristan asked, struggling to hold his smirk in place so he wouldn't start laughing.

"Yale is just as good as Harvard," Rory said defensively.

"And who brainwashed you into thinking this?" Tristan teased.

"It's true!" Rory exclaimed. "Plus I'm closer to my mom. And my grandfather went here."

"Ah, so the truth comes out," he joked, holding the door to the ice cream shop open for her.

"Hey, Sarah," Rory greeted.

Tristan smirked down at her. "You know their names?"

"In my defense, I happen to come here a lot," Rory replied. She turned back to Sarah and ordered. "Rocky Road in a cone, a cup of Cookies 'n' Crème, and-"

Rory looked at Tristan, so he took that as his cue to jump in with his order. "And a cone of Orange Sherbet."

Rory looked at him, shock evident on her face. "Orange Sherbet?"

"Have you tried it?" Tristan asked.

"No," she admitted. "If it doesn't have chocolate in it, it's not worth it."

"She who has a glass house should not throw the first stone," Tristan chastised in a playful way.

Rory rolled her eyes. "Ok, Rich Boy, get your wallet out."

Tristan thought a moment. "No."

"No?"

"No," Tristan confirmed.

"And is there going to be an explanation soon as to why you offer the ice cream and then decide not to pay for that which you suggested?" Rory asked.

"Yes. And it's a very good reason, actually." Tristan paused for dramatic effect. "You insulted my favorite ice cream. Therefore, if you don't try it, I won't pay."

Rory, who had forgotten her wallet, quickly caved in, not wanting the wrath of Sarah on her. The last time she'd forgotten her wallet, Sarah made her scoop ice cream for an hour. "Ok, fine, you win. Now pay."

As soon as they got outside, Tristan held his ice cream right in front of her mouth. She tentatively licked some off. She pondered the ice cream on her tongue a moment, before making a face and swallowing it. "I was right- if it's not chocolate, it's not worth it."

They continued walking back as Tristan chuckled. "You need to branch out a little."

"I do not! I like my rut. It's pretty; I just got the walls repainted," Rory replied.

Tristan shook his head. "Has anyone told you that you're incredibly odd?"

"Quite a few, actually, yourself included I believe," Rory said.

"I'll reiterate myself then: you're odd," Tristan said.

"Thank you," Rory replied. They both looked at each other, the same scene replaying in both of their heads, and back away again. An uncomfortable silence washed over them that lasted until they got back into the dorm.

"What took you so long?" Paris asked first thing when they stepped over the threshold.

"We were debating the Orange Sherbet. Here's you're ice cream."

Paris took the cup from Rory's out stretched hand. "What Orange Sherbet?"

Tristan held up his ice cream as he jumped onto their couch and stretched out. "This Orange Sherbet. My favorite, remember?" He kicked off his shoes and rearranged the pillows a little so they were more comfortably behind him.

Rory raised an eyebrow. "Where am I going to sit?"

Tristan patted the little space left on the couch with a leer. "I could make some room for you."

Rory rolled her eyes. "I walked right into that one, didn't I?"

Paris nodded in response, taking another bite of her ice cream. Rory sighed and cleared the Chinese containers off of the floor next to the couch so she could lie down and study.

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Tristan woke up with a start the next morning at 5:30. The first thing he noticed was that this was not the couch in James's suite. The second thing was that Rory Gilmore was asleep on the floor right next to the couch.

As quietly as he could, he stepped over Rory and put on his shoes. James would be asleep, so there would be no way for him to get in so he could change to go for a run. And as much as he enjoyed her company, he just couldn't bring himself to wake Rory up. So he figured there was only one logical thing he could do.

He went for a drive.

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The smell of coffee woke Rory up. She opened up her eyes to realize that she was on the floor. And Tristan was currently standing over her waving a cup of coffee in her face.

She snatched the coffee and batted his hand away. The coffee was very familiar, so familiar that it could be-

"Luke's!" she sat up quickly and took another sip. "This is coffee from Luke's. You went to Luke's!"

"I'm well aware, thank you," Tristan replied dryly.

Rory took another sip, and then realized exactly what was going on. "What're you doing here?"

He shrugged. "Woke up, saw where I was, and I wanted to thank you for letting me spend the night."

"I didn't-" The memory of last night struck her as she began to fully wake up. "Oh. You're welcome."

"It's seven," Tristan told her, anticipating that her next question would be asking for the time.

"I'd better get ready then. Eight o'clock class. I'll see you later," she said, holding up her coffee. "Thank you."

"Welcome," Tristan replied. He then looked at her as innocently as he could and asked, "You mean I'm not allowed to help you shower?"

Rory bit back a smile. "Too early for you innuendo. Good bye, Tristan."


	8. Rancid vs NOFX

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters and everything else mentioned in this chapter.

**Jess**- It's ok. It sometimes takes a while to get put up on the board, so it probably didn't even show up. Ooh! 2 for 1! I like it...I do, don't I? I'm having a serious problem keeping modest with you as president of my fanfic club.... not that I'm complaining. Yeah, I was going to have the whole story take place over one weekend, than I realized that was not only stupid but very unrealistic. I figure Tristan is slowly trying to be nicer to her, getting her to see him in a different light.

**four51**- Sorry, I'm not Wonder Woman. And school's coming up, so I've gotta practice my "do-opposite-of-what-everyone-says" skills. Sorry again. But I'll keep updating a lot, and I'm really glad you love my story.

Special thank yous to **bBy x jUjUbee**, **Mystified Dreamer**, **smile1**, **barbra**, **Mia**, **fairieangel**, **lilturtlegrl7**,and **PomegranateQueen**. I love you!

A/N: I could write this chapter so it goes on forever. But it had to stop somewhere. It's my longest chapter ever though, so yay! I'm always worried that they're too short. So, enough of my odd phobias. But I was serious before, I could write these characters forever. I just hope they're not too OOC.

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"Helga's House of Pain Gym- we'll whip you into shape," Lorelai chirped into the phone after finding it in the crisper of the refrigerator.

Rory giggled at her mother's greeting. "What if I was Grandma?"

"Then she'd make a remark on phone manners, I'd roll my eyes, and she'd ask me to do something boring for one of her stupid charities," Lorelai replied.

"Leave some of that bitter for the rest of us, Mom," Rory teased.

"Sorry, babe." Lorelai reached her hand under the couch and emerged with her left shoe. "Did you get my message?"

"Of course. Did you get mine?" Rory asked.

"Nope. Did you call my cell?"

"Yup. A few minutes ago," Rory answered.

Lorelai frowned. "I thought I heard something. When we're done, can you call it again?"

"Why can't you call it?" Rory asked, raising an eyebrow as if her mom could see her.

"Because I tried that yesterday, and long story short, we're not speaking anymore," Lorelai joked. "How do you feel about Thanksgiving?"

Rory pretended to think about this a moment. "I don't know, what'd it say about me?"

"Well, it started asking questions about you, then finally said it'd be at the Dragonfly next Thursday. It invited you," Lorelai offered.

"Really?" Rory mocked those teenagers she always saw in TV shows that freaked when they heard about their crush being at a party. "I guess I'll have to make an appearance."

"You're playing this awfully cool," Lorelai remarked.

"Guys like an indifferent girl," Rory said.

"Ok, hon, I'm late for dinner with Luke. I'll see you on Thursday. I love you," she sing-songed.

"Love you too, Mom." Rory was about to hang up when she heard Lorelai remind her to call her cell. On the sixth ring, her mom picked up.

"It was in the shower of all places."

"The shower?" Rory asked, mildly surprised.

"The shower," Lorelai confirmed. "Where's Paris?"

"Watching C-Span, why?" Rory questioned.

"Put her on," Lorelai commanded.

"I'm starting to question your sanity," Rory remarked.

"Starting to? If you're just 'starting to', then I'm beginning to question yours," Lorelai joked.

"Mary," Rory muttered.

"Isn't that your nickname?" Lorelai teased.

"Not in the Tyler Moore sense," Rory replied.

"Rhoda, give Paris the phone." Rory rolled her eyes and handed Paris the phone, then walked into her room so she could work on a paper.

Paris walked in a few minutes later to give Rory the phone back. "Your mom invited me to spend Thanksgiving weekend with you."

Rory grinned. "Now you can finish that case study on us."

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Late Wednesday afternoon, Rory had just finished packing her suitcase into her trunk when Tristan sauntered up, holding a suitcase of his own.

"Mary!" he greeted over-enthusiastically, giving her a lop-sided grin.

"Hey, Tristan," Rory replied, not even bothering to try to correct him. "What're you doing here? With a suitcase?"

"My Ferrari crapped out on me," he admitted. "Can you give me a ride? You're my last hope."

Rory studied him as he got down on his hands and knees and gave her his best puppy-dog eyes. He stuck his bottom lip out as far as it would go and even managed to make it quiver a bit.

She caved, and let out a little laugh. "Fine. But you owe me coffee. And lots of it. And perhaps a picture," she added.

He just smirked at her and stuffed his suitcase in the trunk. "Coffee I can do. As for the picture, that was an once-in-a-lifetime performance saved for your eyes and yours only."

"I feel special," she dead-panned.

"Why, Mary, you'll always be special to me." Tristan smirked at her again and got into the car to be blasted with Ruby Soho.

"Rancid?" he asked.

"NOFX?" she countered, referring to the sticker she'd seen plastered on his suitcase.

He laughed. "Fine, no more questions."

Rory turned onto the freeway. "That'd be best. Where're you going?"

He smirked yet again, and Rory became suspicious. If he was going to say Hartford, he'd look more depressed. "Stars Hollow."

Rory turned the music down. "I'm sorry, could you repeat that?" _I could've heard him incorrectly_, she thought.

"All this Rancid making you deaf, Mar?" Tristan teased. "I said Stars Hollow. Lorelai invited me."

Rory gave him a disbelieving look. "My mother's name you remember?"

"I know your name, I just prefer my own name for you," Tristan replied lightly.

"I'll be sure to tell my mom to have you pick out the name of her next child," Rory said sarcastically.

Tristan smirked. "You're mad."

"Nope. Not mad. Definitely not mad. Not mad, not angry, not upset, nothing," Rory affirmed.

He raised an eyebrow. "And that's why you just recited the Thesaurus to me?"

Rory chewed on her bottom lip. "Yes."

He smirked. "I can't argue with that."

"Of course not," she agreed. "Your head might explode."

"We can't have that," he said solemnly, biting his cheek to keep the smirk off his face. "Too many people would miss it."

She threw him a sideways glance. "I can't imagine why people would call you a megalomaniac when you're obviously so modest."

"It's a gift," he replied, shifting in his seat to look at the back seat. "Where're your CDs?"

"Glove box." Rory reached over and opened it for him.

Tristan took out all the CDs and began milling through them. "PJ Harvey, Death Cab for Cutie, Blur, Warrant?" He held a CD toward her. "And Cherry Pie, of all things. Mary, I'm impressed- underneath that angelic exterior, you're just a dirty pervert like the rest of us."

She rolled her eyes and seized the CD away from him. "It's Zach's. He's probably wondering where it went."

Trying his hardest to keep the jealousy from his voice, knowing logically that Rory wouldn't be that calm if she was talking about an ex-boyfriend, Tristan questioned, "Zach?"

"Bandmate of Lane. She got annoyed with his playing it during all waking hours, so she hid it in my car," Rory explained. "He does a good Time Bomb. Remind me to interrogate you about your stupid dislike of Rancid."

Snapping out of his reverie, Tristan resumed his search for a different CD. "It's at the top of my list. How is it stupid?"

"Because it is," Rory replied.

"I just love your logic," he said patronizingly. "What about Talking Heads?"

"Take me to the river."

"I'll take that as a yes."

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Half an hour later they arrived at the Gilmore residence. "Mom?" Rory called. No answer. She walked into the kitchen, Tristan on her heels, and found a note telling her to go to Luke's.

Rory put her suitcase in her room while Tristan took in the house, fiddling with various objects around the room.

"It's very-" he paused, searching for the right word.

"Don't say cluttered," Rory warned, having just come out of her room.

Tristan smirked. "I was going to say comfortable, but we can go with your word."

She made a face at him. "Ready to go to Luke's?"

"Do I have a choice?" he countered.

She shook her head. "Not really."

Lorelai was working on her third cup of coffee when Rory and Tristan got there. She jumped up when she saw her daughter and pulled her into a huge hug.

"Luke! Coffee!" she barked.

"You'd think that she'd stop doing that after we've been dating a while," Luke muttered to Rory while pouring her coffee.

"It's Lorelai," she pointed out.

"Good point." He bent down and kissed Lorelai's forehead, then extended his hand. "Tristan." The two exchanged a manly handshake.

"Too much testosterone," Lorelai mentioned to Rory.

"What should we do about it?" Rory asked.

"Feminism?" Lorelai suggested.

"Women's right to choose," Rory agreed.

"Abortions all around!" Lorelai exclaimed, throwing her hands up in the air in a broad gesture around the diner.

"You're insane," Luke said. "I advise you to run while you still have the chance," he told Tristan.

Lorelai cackled evilly. "No use, he's already in our clutches. We have to corrupt him while he's still in a stupor over our dazzling features and sharp wit."

When Luke stooped slightly to pour her more coffee, she captured him in a kiss.

"Public displays of affection should not be allowed in the place where you serve food, Luke," Taylor called out disapprovingly.

"You're still bitter because of the $100 you lost," Miss Patty noted.

Tristan leaned over to Rory so he could whisper, not wanting to accidentally offend one of them without knowing it. "There was a running bet?"

Rory nodded and took a sip of her coffee. "Babette won the most money, followed by Kirk, and then Miss Patty." She finished off her coffee and reached for her mom's only to have her hand slapped away.

Lorelai broke the kiss and grabbed her coffee. She gave Luke a quick kiss and a slap on the butt as he walked away. "Wasn't there another Angel with you?"

"Paris is coming later tonight," Rory explained.

"Ah." Lorelai switched subjects again. "Movie night tonight. I got _A Fish Called Wanda_, _Ferris Bueller's Day Off_, and _Fierce Creatures_."

"Raided the 'F's?" Tristan asked.

"It's the only decent letter," Lorelai replied. Switching gears yet again, she said to Tristan, "Glad you could come with us this year."

Tristan shrugged. "It's better than my house."

"You're preaching to the choir. I figured you'd have more fun at our Thanksgiving. The things that get lit on fire are by accident, here," Lorelai replied. "Speaking of which, you two are going to come down to the inn tomorrow to help set up."

"Order or request?" Rory asked.

"I'm making you an offer you can't refuse," Lorelai joked in her best Al Pacino impression.

"So basically you're forcing us to do manual labor in a bad _Godfather_ impression?" Rory summed up.

"Yes," Lorelai confirmed. "But I made it sound better. And my impression wasn't bad!"

"Tristan, what do you think?" Rory inquired, signaling Luke over for more coffee.

"I think the impression was pretty good," Tristan replied.

Lorelai smiled at him. "I like him, can I keep him?"

Tristan cocked an eyebrow at her. "Ms. Gilmore, are you trying to seduce me?"

"You watch good movies. That's it, you're now taking my place at Friday night dinner," Lorelai exclaimed.

Rory laughed at her mother's newest idea to try to get out of Friday night dinner. "Ok, Tristan, now that we've settled that my mother is in love with you, what do you think about her as a slave driver tomorrow?"

"I'm thinking that I'll take Luke up on his offer to leave while I'm still mostly in control of myself," Tristan replied.

"Smart boy," Luke grunted, pouring more coffee for his favorite junkies.

"Shush you," Lorelai said good-heartedly.

"Many things leave with my silence," Luke informed her.

Lorelai looked up at him with a big smile and batted her eyelashes dramatically. "You're pretty." He kissed her again. "Movie night tonight!" she called to him as he retreated behind the counter.


	9. Floundering Turtles

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- Me? Master? Nah. I don't even pay attention in English class! Well, actually, I wrote most of this in English class, but that's beside the point. I just like to be the jedi to your Yoda because I honestly have no idea what I'm doing! I was going to say Luke Skywalker because I too love Han Solo but decided that my hair is definitely better. My comp also put the squiggly red line under jedi but not Yoda. That amuses me for some reasonâ.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Crazy amazing. I like that. As for the banter, I don't know where it comes from. Probably sleep depervation and many viewings of the Gilmore Girls first season. I'm honestly surprised people actually like this story, to be honest

**four51**- I adore Ferris Bueller's Day Off. One of the best movies ever made, in my opinion.

**megliz716**- OK, I should probably explain that comment. I know that Lorelai wouldn't be for abortions, but it was just a joke. Y'know, feminism and stuff. But you're right. I should've picked something else. Once I posted that, I realized "oh, shit! I really shouldn't've done that!" But thank you for your thought. I'm glad someone mentioned that.

More thank yous to **OTHlover04**, **bBy x jUjUbee**, **Padfoot n' Moony**, **smile1**, **Kiki**, **Barbra**, **Callista NicTeryn**, **Kristy Anne Halliwell**(love the caps!), **rika**, **Mystified Dreamer**. I love you all alot!

A/N: Sorry about the almost 2-week span of non-updating. I've been busy. I went away on a long weekend vacation for Labor Day, then school started, and I got sick. My head is feeling a bit light-headed at the moment, so if the end does seem a bit weird, I'm sorry. In fact, I probably shouldn't even be updating, but it's just a cold. I'm a hypercondriac. Give me a break. It's sad. So, yeah, this is getting long. But I'll really try to update sooner next time. I've got good ideas and lots of classes to not pay attention in.

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After the movies Tristan was sent with Luke to spend the night there by Lorelai and her knowing smirk. Now he knew why Rory got so annoyed when he smirked like that. But that wasn't all; he was also to help Luke out with the morning crowd because Lane's shift started at 9:30. Rory and Paris- the latter of whom had shown up sometime during _Fierce Creatures_- were to come rescue him after they got up.

Lorelai breezed in a little after nine. Without a word she walked around the counter and pulled Luke into a passionate kiss. Tristan meanwhile poured her a cup of coffee and put it in front of an empty seat at the counter.

"How's he doing?" she asked Luke after regaining her breathing again in a normal pattern.

"He pours coffee, he serves food to the correct tables, he yelled at Kirk," Luke replied. "He's doing fine."

Lorelai laughed and sat in the seat designated for her by Tristan. "Lane gets here in twenty minutes. Do you want me to drag him along with me to the inn? We're two workers short of a-" she paused, trying to think of a way to end that sentence. Finally, she gave up. "-something. Anyway, the point is I need him there to insure my position of the Queen Bee-slash-mocker."

"Your ability to multitask is astounding." Luke took out a pad of paper and a pencil. "Breakfast?"

Lorelai shook her head. "I'm saving room for later. Speaking of which, can you get there around three?"

"We close at 3:30," Luke informed her.

"3:35 then," she replied.

"It's a date," he agreed, leaning his forehead against hers.

Lorelai smiled, finished her coffee, and gave her boyfriend one last kiss.

"You've got to teach me how to prioritize like you do oh-so-well!" Tristan called from across the diner.

"C'mon, Buster Keaton, we're going to the inn!" she yelled back.

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"-and you will be helping to se the table and decorate so the inn looks festive-y," Lorelai concluded after giving Tristan a brief tour of said inn.

"I thought you'd have people to do this for you," Tristan stated.

"Ah, but I am not my mother. I home grow my willing workers, I don't import them," Lorelai jokingly replied. "My servants are you, Rory, and Paris. Give or take a few others. Unless you'd like to go back to the diner and help Lane out," she offered.

"No thanks," Tristan declined. "I have a strong feeling that Luke is trying to get Caesar to kill me."

Lorelai raised an eyebrow, and he suddenly knew where Rory got it from. "How'd you come to this conclusion?"

"When Caesar indiscreetly nodded to Luke, then 'accidentally' threw a frying pan at my head," Tristan replied, using air quotes around the word 'accidentally'.

Lorelai waved it off. "He's just being protective. You should've seen what he did to Dean. Anyway, how do you know Caesar just doesn't like you?"

Tristan opened his mouth to reply, then closed it again when he realized he had no good comeback.

Lorelai smiled triumphantly. "That's what I thought. So, any other questions, comments, bride attempts, or general Gilmore worshipping on your part?"

"Not at the moment, but you'll be the first to know if I need to pay off your silence," Tristan answered.

Lorelai nodded approvingly. "Good boy. Now get to work before Miss Patty comes by and tricks you into becoming her sixth husband."

Two hours, five unpleasant encounters with a frazzled Michel, and one amusing conversation with Tom later the girls arrived to help Tristan.

"Get enough sleep?" he teased them.

Rory rolled her eyes and looked at Paris, who changed the subject. "What's left to do?"

"Seating chart," Tristan replied with a sigh, looking just as excited about it as Rory felt.

She groaned and banged her head against the table they were sitting at. There were three of them out, seeing as almost half the town was invited.

"Did I wear you out already, Mary?" Tristan asked, his voice laced with innuendo.

"You wish," Rory retorted lifting her head up to look Tristan in the eyes.

Tristan winked at her. "Don't you know it."

She rolled her eyes and looked at Paris, who just shook her head. "Don't bother; he'll just twist your words around again."

He leaned his chair back onto two legs. "It's a daunting task, but I do my best."

Rory leaned over and pushed Tristan. With a yelp he fell back onto his back. Paris covered her mouth, but Rory didn't bother to hide her laughter as Tristan floundered around, trying to get up.

"You'd make a great turtle," she informed him.

Tristan growled and jumped up. "Now you've done it, Gilmore."

Rory ran and hid behind Paris. Paris looked between her two friends, one of whom was standing behind her and the other who was stalking around the table. She looked up at Rory. "Do you want me to finish the arrangements?"

"We'll be done soon," Rory assured her.

Tristan smirked and echoed her earlier words. "You wish."

At this sentiment, Rory took off running, but Tristan quickly gained on her. He slung his arms around her waist and pulled her against him so he could tickle her sides easier. She shrieked and doubled over, then flung herself back up again. Somehow she managed to wiggle free and continued running.

"Get away from me," Michel complained when Rory darted behind him. Tristan stood on the other side of the desk, poised to pounce. Rory pretended to go left, but then ran right, fooling him for all of half a second.

He caught her within feet from Paris and mercilessly tickled her. "Say 'uncle'!"

"A Gilmore never surrenders!" Rory gasped, wrenching away from his grasp.

"Can you two put your sudden regression into the second grade on halt for half an hour so you can help me with this seating chart?" Paris interrupted.

Tristan looked down at the floor guiltily and mumbled, "Yes, mom."

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"How goes the mocking?" Rory asked Lorelai after presenting her with the seating chart.

"Quite well, though Tom seems to be immune, so he's no fun," Lorelai pouted. "Did you find out if Dean's coming or not?"

Rory shook her head sadly. "He's not coming. He's spending it in Chicago with a good friend of his he hasn't seen in a while."

Lorelai patted her daughters back sympathetically. She gave the chart an once-over and frowned. "Andrew and Taylor can't sit next to each other on Thanksgiving unless you're willing to put up with another one of Taylor's endless speeches on the wish bone. Which you're not after what happened at the Thanksgiving four years ago."

Rory quickly switched Taylor and Gypsy around. "There, perfect!"

Lorelai smiled. "You're such a good kid. Where'd you get that from?"

"Grandma, I think," Rory teased.

"Funny, too. That you get from me," Lorelai replied.

"I must," Rory said, humoring her. "Do you have anything else for us to do?"

"Yes," Lorelai answered seriously, her eyes betraying her. "Go to town, get coffee, loiter around the Soda Shoppe until Taylor kicks you out, vandalize things, loot, steal, and be back by three."

"So you want us to leave?" Rory clarified.

"Was I that obvious?" Lorelai asked.

"Glaringly so. Woody Allen was in awe," Rory told her.

Lorelai stuck out her bottom lip. "You're mean when you haven't had any coffee in a couple hours."

Rory smiled. "I learned from the best."

Lorelai laughed and shooed her out. "Go, have fun. And save your appetite!"

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A few people were already there when Rory, Paris, and Tristan got back to the inn. Lorelai came by soon after they arrived. "Good job with the seating arrangements, though Kirk and Lulu had to be moved away from Joe. It's a long story, and ends with Joe getting whipped cream thrown at him by Lulu."

"A psychiatrist would love to analyze these people," Paris observed dryly.

"What did you crazy kids get up to?" Lorelai asked.

Tristan groaned. "They ransacked the bookstore. No novel is safe around these two."

Lorelai nodded her head. "You should see Rory when they get new books in. Andrew loves her." Tristan chuckled. "Ok, go sit down. The best meal of your life should be done in around forty-five minutes."

Lane caught up to them when Luke came in. She gave Rory a huge hug. "Tell me all about everything!"

Rory laughed. "That didn't even make sense."

"It doesn't matter; musicians aren't supposed to make sense. It's a known fact. The Doors were popular, and no one knew anything that Jim Morrison was talking about," Lane pointed out.

"Are you going home for Thanksgiving?" Rory asked, sitting down in one of the many over stuffed chairs in the lobby. Tristan sat haphazardly in the chair next to her while Lane sat on the arm of Rory's chair. Paris was currently talking to Taylor about the policies of Stars Hollow. Rory suspected that she was taking notes for a book.

"Eventually. I figured I'd get a good Thanksgiving in, then suffer through tofu-turkeys," Lane replied.

Tristan made a face that caused Lane to laugh at the sheer immaturity of it. "Tofu turkeys?"

"Health nuts," was all the explanation given to him.

"Sounds wonderfully disgusting," Tristan said.

"Attention!" Lorelai's clear voice echoed throughout the lobby of the small inn. "I have just been informed that the turkey is close to perfection. If everybody would please take their seats at their places, that'd be great!"

"Young man, the seat next to me isn't taken," Ms. Patty flirtatiously called to Tristan, patting the chair next to her.

Tristan flashed her his most charming smile. "I'd love to, but I'm afraid Rory here can't bear having me too far away from her."

Ms. Patty smiled knowingly at Rory. Rory, in turn, swatted Tristan's forearm when he sat down.

"Ow, Mary!" Tristan pouted, rubbing his arm. "If you wanted to get rough, all you had to do was ask."

Rory rolled her eyes. "All disgusting S&M fetishes on Tristan's part aside, I didn't hit you that hard!"

"Yes you did!" Tristan childishly protested. The man part of him suddenly took control again, and he leered at her. "Wanna kiss it and make it feel better?"

"No, thank you. Who knows what diseases you may have?" Rory sweetly replied, taking a spoonful of the stuffing set in front of her by one of the waiters.

"Like cooties?" Lane teased.

"And now, for the moment you've all been waiting for! The pride and joy of today's festivities, the turkey!" Lorelai stepped out of the way to show Sookie holding a golden brown turkey. Behind her two more cooks were holding equally delicious looking turkeys.

Sookie was about to cut the one she was holding when Taylor interrupted. "Don't you think it would pertinent to pray first?"

"I'm Jewish," Joe piped up. "I don't think I should be praying the Christian way."

"I'm hungry, Taylor," Gypsy added. "Pray on your own damn time, and let Sookie cut that turkey."

"People, it's a tradition," Taylor reasoned.

"Not for everybody," Ms. Patty replied. "We didn't pray before out tight rope act in Studio 69, and we shouldn't have to pray now."

Lorelai held her hands up. "How about every body who wants to pray does so right now while Sookie cuts the turkey?"

Taylor straightened up in a seat a bit. "Thank you, Lorelai."

"Just pray, Taylor!" Luke commanded.


	10. The Brat Pack

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- It's a creative process I like to call boredom and insanity. 'Borenity', if you will. I've been trying to get my muse to give me more Tristan, but she's a bit hopped up on cocaine, so it may take a while. Sorry. I tried; I don't know if this chapter shall satisfy you. I tried, I swear. I think it is... I'm just babbling. I had no idea I was so good at that... Ok, that's a lie, I did. You should see the notes to some of my friends... they're like the energizer bunny, just keep going and going and going... Ok, I'm just a tad bit hyper. It's Friday, can you blame me? Plus, I've had a good day. Well, yesterday was better because Blake (my current crush) and I just talked forever. I talk about him in my a/n coz I can't talk about anything else! Whoa, this is long. Blame Keanu on my use of whoa, but I digress.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Naturally your brother's life would be more important than my review, just as my sister's "homework" is more important than my insatiable boredom or my story. Yeah, sarcasm was the best invention. Ever. Oh, btw, I hope your e-mail is working again. Coz I have so much to tell you, but I don't want to bore anybody else who may be reading this!

**four51**- No problems. I hope you like this chapter!

**Jazz14**- Oh, I hate braces! I'm sorry about your mouth hurting; I hope you've felt better by now!

**mz.sammiz**- It's ok that you haven't reviewed, as long as you like it that's what's important!

**Surya**- I'm glad you liked it. God, I probably revised that five times, just to get it right. I'm so happy I could make you laugh and that it sounded Gilmore-ish!

**OTHlover04**- I don't say this enough, but thank you for reviewing each time. Even if you don't say a lot, you still make me smile.

More thank yous to **sweet19903**, **bBy x jUjUbee**, **amanda**, **Callista** **NicTeryn**, **Kiki**, **smile1** (can I say that I love your name, because I always smile whenever I see it!), and of course **Sexychick119**. I love you all alot!

A/N: The boy who sits next to me in Espanol Tres smells really good. Kinda minty and a slight mixture of body spray. And mouth freshener. Y'know, the thing you spray? But I think that's because he smokes. Anywho, I needed to tell you all that because he's awesome. He's funny, he's cute, he smells good, he has a car, he's a senior... le sigh. It's sad. But anywho, onto the story. I hope it's not _too_ clichéd...

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Lorelai moaned and leaned her head against Luke's chest. They were sitting in one of the chairs in the inn. "I think that was the best Thanksgiving I've ever had. Sookie, you are a goddess."

"Oh it was nothing," Sookie said from her place on the floor next to Jackson. "I just added a dash of nutmeg to the stuffing. It makes all the difference! Luckily Jackson was able to get another batch of cranberries."

"There was nothing wrong with the first batch!" Jackson protested.

"They were squishy," she replied.

"They're supposed to be!" He cried.

Michel turned his head to glare at the couple. "Please do not argue about this anymore, you are giving me a headache."

"Mrs. Melville, you're a much better cook than my mother's kitchen staff," Tristan praised.

"I think that means it was good," Rory supplied.

Sookie giggled. "Call me Sookie, sweetie."

"This is my first Thanksgiving that hasn't ended with me listening to one of my mother's drunken rants," Paris stated.

"There's a first for everything," Rory quipped.

"You're welcome to all future Thanksgiving shindings in the future at the Hollow," Lorelai added. "You too, my Hartford oppressed."

"And you, my freedom fighter, are always welcome to kidnap me from my smothering lifestyle," Tristan replied in the same 19th century voice Lorelai had used, glad somebody was looking out for him.

That's what Lorelai saw. She knew he hated Hartford because she'd been there once. She and Rory were his and Paris's saviors. _Listen to me_, he thought. _I sound like a fucking walking cliché._

Luke slid out from under Lorelai. She held her arms up. "Carry me."

He bent down and she wrapped her arms around his neck. He straightened up and swung her legs over his other arm. She laughed and pecked him on the lips.

"I'm going to Luke's for a while," Lorelai told Rory pointedly. "Be good and don't do anything I would do. TMC is having a John Hughes night for your viewing pleasure. Make sure Tristan keeps all appendages to himself."

Tristan pretended to be offended. "Lorelai, how could you even think that I would be anything less than a perfect gentleman?"

"Because I know you," she replied.

"Don't worry, Mom. We'll worship the Brat Pack in honor of you," Rory assured her.

"That's my girl."

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When Rory came out of her room Tristan and Paris were already occupying the couch watching _The Breakfast Club_. She was wearing sweats and an old Guns 'N' Roses band T-shirt that had been her dad's.

She sat down with her back against the couch, and squirmed a bit as she tried to get comfortable. Finally Tristan handed her a pillow.

"Thanks."

They sat in silence for a few more minutes until Paris said, "I like Anthony Michael Hall's character."

"I like Ally Sheedy's," Rory replied.

"Molly Ringwald," Tristan said.

"Surprise, surprise," Paris muttered.

"I'm bored," Tristan announced as the movie went to commercial.

"Do you seriously have the attention span of a six year old?" Rory asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yeah. Do you have a problem with that?" he shot back, eyebrows just as high as hers.

Rory shook her head. "Nope, just clarifying things so I don't have to guess anymore."

Tristan got up. "Where are your videos?"

"Cabinet underneath the TV." Rory pointed in the direction.

He emerged with his prize, _Sid & Nancy_. Paris groaned and threw a pillow at him which he ducked with ease and a smirk on his face. "How can you hate this movie, dear Paris? It has all the things one should adore: sex, drugs, a murder/suicide pact, punk rock, and Gary Oldman."

"I only hate it because of your long time obsession with it that included only talking in lines from that movie for a week after you saw it," Paris snapped.

Rory giggled. "That must've been hard. Did you ever get stumped?"

"Nope!" he replied proudly. Paris snorted. "Ok, once or twice," he admitted. "But otherwise, I did well."

Rory just shook her head and lifted herself into Tristan's abandoned seat. He scowled and put the movie in, then draped himself over the two girls. Rory and Paris looked at each other and rolled the heavier boy off them. He landed on the floor with a thud.

"Ow!" he whined.

Paris rolled her eyes. "It's not like we seriously injured you."

The smirk made its triumphant return. "I was just testing your love for me. It seems to be slim." He jumped up and plopped himself between the two, wiggling his butt causing them to move so he could have more room. Casually he draped an arm behind the seat of each girl.

Rory propped her feet on the coffee table and made herself more comfortable, accidentally elbowing Tristan in the stomach in the process. He grunted.

"Sorry," she said sheepishly.

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Lorelai quietly snuck into the house a little after midnight, not wanting to wake any possible sleeping kids who could question her about where she'd been for the past five hours.

What she found was a fuzzy screen and three sleeping twenty-one year olds curled up together on the couch. Tristan was in the middle, his head lulled on the back of the couch. Paris's feet were swung over his lap and she resting her head on the armrest. And Rory was nestled in the crook of Tristan's arm.

Not wanting to awaken them, Lorelai shut off the TV and turned off the light in the kitchen. She draped a blanket over their sleeping forms and took one last look at them before she made it upstairs.

_Tristan'll be happy when he wakes up_, she thought with a slight giggle.

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Tristan was naturally the first to wake up at 5:30 the next morning. What he found shocked and pleased him at the same time: Rory and Paris on either side of him sleeping. Sure it was perfectly innocent, but he felt that a cold shower was in his near future.

He lifted Paris's legs off his lap and removed himself from the couch. Rory shifted and he froze, hoping he hadn't woken her up. He knew how she was in the morning, and didn't want to be on the receiving end of one of her grumpy morning moods. However, she just laid her head on Paris's legs. Tristan breathed a sigh of relief.

He gathered up his stuff and left a note as to where they could find him when the occupants of the house awoke from their beauty sleep. He arrived at the aforementioned destination in less than five minutes and found Luke cleaning his diner.

Luke just raised one eyebrow at the straggler in his diner. "I didn't want to wake them," came the explanation for his disheveled state.

Luke pointed upstairs. "You know where the shower is. I take it you're here to help me?"

Tristan just nodded, thankful he knew someone in the town as sane as Luke was.

Just 15 minutes later, Tristan came back downstairs to find Luke serving the only customer in the place- Kirk. He was talking animatedly to Luke who was wiping down his counter. As soon as he saw Tristan descend from the stairs, he scurried over to him and enveloped the younger man in a tight hug. Tristan awkwardly patted Kirk on the back while shooting Luke a confused look. Luke just snickered at his plea for help.

"She said yes!" Kirk exclaimed when he finally let go of Tristan.

"Um, what?" he asked.

"Lulu. I proposed, she said yes," Kirk explained.

Tristan rubbed the back of his neck. "That's great, Kirk."

"Do you want anything, Kirk?" Luke asked. Kirk opened his mouth, but Luke held his hand up. "Besides for me to be your best man?"

Kirk looked down, crestfallen. "Coffee."

"Ah, jeez," Luke muttered, looking at Kirk's wounded puppy dog expression. "Fine, I'll be your stupid best man if it means that much to you."

Kirk's happiness returned in a split second. "Thanks, Luke!"

Tristan watched the exchange with interest. It was like Luke didn't want to say no, he just had an image to live up to. It was clearly obvious that Kirk worshipped Luke, and Luke knew this. He was beginning to like this town.

"Stop smirking and get to work," Luke growled as he passed Tristan, shoving an apron in his hands.

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Saturday morning was a good day. Rory could tell. First, Dean came back from Chicago and called her to say that he wanted to see her as soon as possible. So she was waiting in the gazebo for him to show.

She was going back tomorrow. It was sad, all the things she missed. And she was friends with Tristan. It was crazy. But their banter was enjoyable, and it was going to be hard to see him go again when he had to inevitably leave Yale to go somewhere else.

Finally Dean came up to join her. "Hey." He gave her a hug.

"Hey, back," she replied, sitting down. "How was Chicago?"

"Good," he replied. "I've forgotten how much I miss it there."

"So what's up? You sounded urgent," Rory prompted.

Dean suddenly looked uncomfortable. He looked away. "I got into college. I start spring semester."

"Dean, that's great!" Rory exclaimed, giving him another hug. "I always knew you were smart enough. Where are you going? Connecticut U? That's close to New Haven, you know."

"Not exactly," he replied, looking at the ground. He suddenly looked her in the eye, dead serious. "Rory, I'm moving back to Chicago."


	11. Chick Flicks and Led Zeppelin

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- You're a sophomore? In college or high school? Coz I'm a sophomore in high school. I just don't play a sport. But my friend is in cross country(her mom forced her into it) and she says it's hell. Field hockey, though? I don't even think we have one of those... we're more of a water oriented school. And Lacrosse for some reason. I'm serious! Almost every single guy I know is either in water polo, lacrosse, or wrestling. It's crazy. Wow. I'm really good at no-point talking. Huh, would you ever think that? Yeah, probably. Anywho, I'm glad everyone liked my twist. I was trying a good, plausible way to get rid of him. Apparently it worked, which surprised the hell out of me. Sorry about the workload. Hope it gets better.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Again, I hope everything gets better. I really enjoy your posts, and they just won't be the same if you're all depressed and stuff.

**four51**- Whoo! Yay!

**smile1**- Thanks. I tried, really, and I'm glad it came out good.

More thank yous to **OTHlover04**, **Peanutbutterluver1399**,** bBy x jUjUbee**, **mellowyellow** (hee! I'm so easily amused, so I love your name. It makes me think of M&Ms), **amanda**, **readergurl87**, **Fancyeyes**, **gilmoregirlfan44**, **lovlylady7**, and **mz.sammiz**. I love you all alot!

A/N: Omg! I've got over 100 reviews. Ok, 101. But seriously, that's over 100. You guys rock! I never thought that I'd even get 50, let alone 100. Thank you all a lot! And, I wrote the beginning before I saw the season premiere. Did everyone see that? Holy adulterous bastards, Batman! Dude, I've totally re-examined my opinions on Lindsay and Dean. Dean? Fucking bastard. Lindsay? Poor, delusional girl who needs a serious hug. Or a hit on the head. Not sure, but I feel really bad about her. Also? I'm totally and completely in love with Lane's band. I wanna live in that house so badly!!! Y'know, not that I didn't love them before. I just love them even more now, and I can tell you one thing: they're gonna be in this story a helluva lot more now. I'm planning a Lane's band spin off because I love them so much. Gil is so my new boyfriend! Ok, that's seven sentences on my love of Lane's band, so I think I'll just stop it there. And, btw, Johnny Ramone, RIP.

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Rory froze, and she thought she actually felt her heart stop for a millisecond. Her mouth formed an 'O'. But she couldn't have heard him right, right? He could've said something else that sounded a lot like he was moving.

Somewhere deep down in a place she couldn't acknowledge, she knew she was lying to herself. Dean was leaving. He was leaving. For good this time. Out of this relationship, out of the town, out of the state. Out of her life. Forever.

"Rory?" Dean asked, moving closer to her. She scooted away.

"No," she whispered. "This can't be happening. Why? When? Why?"

He got up and ran a hand through his hair. "Next week."

Rory grabbed his hand to stop his pacing through the gazebo. "Next week?" She processed this, turning it over and over again through her head, analyzing the two words from all angles, dissecting them. "Why?"

"I need to get away from here. I see the way everyone looks at me, like I did something wrong because I wasn't in love with Lindsay. They don't even know what we did, but they look at me like they know. And they don't look at you like that. It kills me to be put on trial every time I walk down the goddamn street, Rory!" He yanked his hand from her grip and resumed his pacing, back and forth in front of her watering eyes.

"You don't have to," she pleaded. "You can go to U Connecticut. You can live there, and we can see each other on the weekends."

"We said that when you went to Yale this year. But I've seen you all of five times at the most since September. Rory, I can't keep doing this. I need to go, to leave, to start over. You have to believe me. Please be happy for me." He crouched down in front of her and wiped a stray tear from her cheek. He grabbed her mitten-clad hands and kissed each one.

"I want to. I want you to be happy, and I want you to go to school. But I want you to be happy with me. Am I totally selfish for thinking that?" she asked quietly.

"No," he whispered back. "I think you're perfect for thinking that. I think you're perfect in whatever you do. I love you, Rory."

"I love you too," she replied. He kissed her softly on the lips, and pulled her into his arms as she fought back tears.

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The house was empty. She preferred it this way. Lorelai, Tristan, and Paris were probably at Luke's. Rory turned on Bjork and flopped onto her bed while she bit her lip not to cry. She was not sad; she was happy because Dean was happy. He was happy in Chicago with his friends. And his family. And his ex-girlfriend. Beth. She still hated that name. What kind of name was Beth?

Without her. She wasn't going to be there. Different state. Miles away at Yale with Tristan and Paris. She could hear the phone ringing in the living room. After two rings, she got up and started her search for the phone. Right before it went to the answering machine she answered it.

"Hello?" She was trying not to sound too sad, hoping that her voice wouldn't betray her.

"Rory?" It was Lane. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," she lied.

"You're a terrible liar. Don't make me blast rap music continuously until you divulge," Lane threatened humorously.

Despite herself, Rory giggled. "Fine, you win. You know just how to get me to talk, don't you?"

"The CIA is recruiting me as we speak. I shouldn't have told you that, though. You should watch your back for flying objects, falling flower pots, or other potentially dangerous things that could cause a wacky cartoon death," Lane warned.

"I'm glad you're forewarning me, otherwise I'd take a fatal trip to the Loony Toons studio," Rory deadpanned.

"That's what friends are for," Lane replied. "And they don't forget things, even when their friends are trying their best to change the topic. So spill."

"I almost had you," Rory claimed.

"You're doing it again," Lane said.

"Fine," Rory sighed. "You're good at this. So, Dean's leaving; moving back to Chicago."

Lane gasped. "No! And he just told you this?"

"Minutes ago," Rory replied.

"Wow. He sure doesn't do timing well," Lane observed.

"Not one of his fortes," Rory agreed.

"Do you want me to come over? We can call Lorelai and Paris and Joe and Joe will bring the pizza and we can have a girl's night watching _Steel Magnolias_ and _The Bridges of Madison County_ over and over until you smash the tapes," Lane suggested.

"Sounds like a plan," Rory answered. "Luke can supply the baseball bat."

"I'll ask him, but he may have separation anxiety," Lane said.

"Good point," Rory replied. In the background, the faint beginning chords of Led Zeppelin's 'Houses of the Holy' could be heard. "Band practice?"

Lane sighed. "No, actually. Guess who Zach met today at Luke's?"

Rory groaned. "Tristan?"

"The one and only. It must be a blond-guy thing, because they hit it off. Now Zach's showing off. They recently had an in depth conversation about which actually do have more fun- redheads, blonds, or brunettes?" Lane explained.

"Sounds invigorating," Rory said sarcastically.

"Oh, yeah. I could just feel my brain cells dying off with each word," Lane replied.

"Must be a conspiracy," Rory agreed.

"It must-" Lane trailed off for a minute. "Hold on." She went into the living room to see Zach, Tristan, and Brian holding an impromptu band practice. "No! No 'Stairway to Heaven' unless you'd like to be locked in the Hall of Shame for most overdone song ever!"

"But Lane!" Zach whined.

"We've had this conversation before," Lane warned.

"Yes, mom," Zach conceited in defeat. Tristan snickered when Lane glared at him intensely. Zach immediately segued into a rough version of Blue Oyster Cult's 'Godzilla'.

"What was that about?" Rory asked Lane when she got back onto the phone.

Lane let out an exasperated sigh. "Zach's need to prove his musical skills with Led Zeppelin."

"Never a dull moment at your apartment," Rory quipped.

Lane laughed. "So, I'm gonna go, but I'll see you in about fifteen minutes for Dean bashing and girly crying," she told her friend. "I'll get your mom and Paris. We'll get enough sugar for an epileptic seizure."

Rory smiled. "Can't wait."

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Rory, Lane, Paris, and Lorelai stayed up until almost two in the morning watching sad chick flicks and eating massive amounts of junk food. Lane had called up Brian to tell him that she wouldn't be back until tomorrow to find that he, Zach, and Tristan had decided to go to a club in Hartford.

Sunday afternoon Paris, Rory, and Tristan left, much to the displeasure of Lorelai. She'd sat on the hood of Rory's car telling her that she couldn't leave now because of her dear mother's current seat. Luckily Luke was also there, and persuaded Lorelai to let her daughter go to get an education.

The drive back to New Haven was somewhat strained. Rory was trying her best to forget about Dean's bombshell and Tristan was berating himself for not finding out sooner. He wasn't sure what he'd have done if he had found out the night before, but he figured it'd be something drastic that would include his fist and Dean's face.

"I've got homework," Rory murmured after Tristan insisted on walking her back to her dorm room.

"And it's not done already?" Tristan teased, trying to break Rory's melancholy woe-is-me mood that she had seemed to accumulate over the last twenty-four hours. After only a faint smile that Tristan got an idea. "Ok, Rory, I don't want to have to do this, but drastic times call for drastic measures."

Before Rory could ask him about his cryptic statement, Tristan broke into song at the top of her lungs in the middle of the hallway right in front of her dorm room. And let it be said that Tristan? Not the best singer.

_"I use public toilets and I piss on the seat/I walk around in the summer time saying "how about this heat?"/I'm an asshole (he's an asshole, what an asshole)/I'm an asshole (he's the worlds biggest asshole)/Sometimes I park in handicapped spaces/While handicapped people make handicapped faces/I'm an asshole (he's an asshole ,what an asshole)/I'm an asshole (he's a real fucking asshole)," _he sang, complete with a dance that wasn't even with the rhythm.

Rory blushed darkly, catching the weird looks people in the hallway were throwing the pair as they passed by. "Are you insane?" she hissed, dragging him into the dorm room.

He smirked. "Probably. But I got you to smile."

"Public displays of humiliation on your part, intended or not, tend to do that to me," she replied dryly.

"Aw, I always knew you loved me, and now that you can freely express it, my life is complete," Tristan cried dramatically, getting down on his knees and grabbing his hands, fake swooning.

"Oh darn, you caught me," Rory dead-panned.

"Would you like an extra order of bitter with your full meal of hatred?" Tristan asked just as sarcastically.

At that Rory cracked a smile. "So, do you want to talk about it, or take a page out of the DuGray Handbook for Healthy Living and keep it bottled up until years from now in therapy?" he asked her abruptly.

"That depends," she replied.

"On...?" he prompted.

"On whether or not you'll leave me alone about it if I say no," she answered.

"Oh. Then no, I won't leave you alone," Tristan told her.

Rory sighed and led him to the couch. "Fine. Yesterday-"

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"Hey, man," James greeted when Tristan got back to his dorm room. He popped in the Beatle's white album and turned it up as he got to 'Back in the U.S.S.R.'

"Hey," Tristan replied. "How was your Thanksgiving?"

"I got free food, so I can't complain," James answered. "How's Rory?" He teased patronizingly.

Tristan rolled his eyes. "I tell you one thing."

James grinned. "You've known me for four years, I think you should know by know that you'll tell me everything, no matter how mercilessly I tease you about it."

"Her and her boyfriend broke up," Tristan told his friend.

"Reason for this joyous news?"

"He's moving."

"And I take it from your partying that you're upset by this?" James asked.

"I can't do anything, she's in mourning. It beats me as to why, but she is," Tristan replied, rolling his eyes.

James laughed and patted Tristan on his back while shaking his head. "You have the worst good luck ever, man."

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A/N2: 10 brownie points to who ever can guess what song Tristan sings.


	12. The Benefits of a Lack of Sleep

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- You know what? The story arc does sound good. But I don't want Dean to return. Mostly? I can't write the damn character! It's so hard... sigh. The travesties. Well, I'm watching the 101 Greatest SNL Moments. That has nothing to do with anything, but I love it. Yo estoy Espanol, tambien! It's hard! And I have a test on Monday. It sucks. I should probably actually study, though... I might cheat off Blake. Or he'll cheat off me, which is more likely...

**smile1**- Whoa. I hadn't even realized that... Thanks. I should work on that... it's all this school work! I'm slipping! Agh! Ok, I'm in a really weird mood.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Lane's band is the best thing in the world. There's nothing better than Sebastian Bach, Todd Lowe, and the germaphobe one.

**Chubs88**- I'm the knower of all things witty. Yeah, I'm kidding. I sold my soul so I could write this story. But you get brownie points, you do. Yay!

**talia7899**- Correct! And maybe a trory kiss is in the future... but you still get the brownie points anyway. Not that they mean anything, but it's nice to pretend.

**xoxocmmxoxo**- Hee! Drunken rants! I would've loved to see that.

More thank yous to **Jazz14, Sarah45, TiCkLeDpInK22, Kristy Anne Halliwell (Krissy, Callista NicTeryn, Amanda, Lioness-07863, OTHlover04**, and **mz.sammiz** . I love you all alot!

A/N: Ok, the song was "Asshole" by Denis Leary. Yeah, I'm completely in love with that song. And the music video. But mostly the song. Wow, I tried driving today. You know what I found out: I shouldn't. Haha. I have a book report due on Monday, so I'm gonna make this short and sweet coz I'm not even half done with the book. Be surprised this is even out. My muse attacked me during class. It was sad.

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Rory lay in bed at five in the morning on the Friday two weeks before Christmas. Mid terms were coming up, but she'd woken up due to a rewrite of a thesis paper at two that morning. A thought had come to her, resulting in her awakening and an eventual rewrite of the whole paper due in class that day.

There were many reasons sleep was eluding her at the moment. Dean's leaving just a week before, mid terms the next week, Tristan's odd behavior the past couple of weeks, and of course Christmas shopping were the top things on her list.

After finally realizing that any attempts to fall back to sleep would be futile, Rory changed out of her PJs and into a pair of sweats and an old sweatshirt to go get coffee. There were quite a few students around, Rory noted. Whether getting up early for a morning job and afternoon classes or an early morning class, she didn't know.

She got in the coffee line that seemed to be the shortest and took out her money. The sun was just peaking over the horizon, barely giving off any more light than the street lights scattered around the campus in a seemingly random pattern.

"Morning class, also?" a voice asked from behind her.

Rory turned, startled at the person who was talking to her. "No. Couldn't sleep. What about you?"

He yawned, and then laughed slightly. "My professor rescheduled a seven o' clock class to six instead of canceling it."

Rory got up the counter and ordered. "You sound excited."

"Oh yeah, I really am. I can't wait to get to class so I can thank him for having me wake up this early," he said sarcastically.

Rory laughed. "I'm Rory, by the way." She held out her hand, and he shook it after ordering his drink.

"Rory, huh? Interesting name," he commented.

"It's actually Lorelai because my mom named me after herself, so to avoid confusion my nickname became Rory," she explained.

"I'm Thomas," he introduced.

"Thomas," Rory repeated.

"Well, if you want to get technical, Thomas is my middle name. I'd tell you my first name, but that'd ruin the mystique and I'd have to kill you in a way somewhat akin to a Shakespearian tragedy. And that would just take too much thought and way too many soliloquies," he told her.

"That it would, and we couldn't have you turning out like Macbeth," Rory agreed.

"Of course not. Anyway, I'd better be off to class. It was nice meeting you, Rory," Thomas said.

"Nice to meet you, too," she replied, and they parted ways.

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Tristan was just sitting there. Somebody would open up the door soon. He and James had gotten up at the same time because of James's early class, so Tristan had gone for a run. And ended up here. He couldn't help it. It just happened. He'd been avoiding her, trying to give her space, and yet there he was.

Paris would be out soon, he was sure of it. Only half an hour until six-thirty. Didn't Rory say that she had a class at seven? She'd be out soon, unless he's already missed her. Then he'd be shit out of luck.

He was just about to leave when Rory into the hallway from outside, which confused him. Nonetheless he stood up, taking in the evident shock on her face until it turned to anger.

"You've been avoiding me," she accused.

Well, that was certainly to the point. "No," he denied.

"I'm tired, Tristan, not dumb," she sighed. "And the risk of sounding like I'm seven, you have to!"

"No I haven't," he bickered back. "I've just been giving you your space."

"I don't want space, I want my friends with me," she replied.

Tristan blinked. She actually thought of him as her friend? Though neither of them had even said it, he secretly always thought of her as his friend now. But to have her say it... friends. He could deal with it. He always was good at lying.

"But you're here," she continued. "There has to be a reason, unless you've suddenly turned into Jack Torrance. So why?"

Tristan smirked. "Jack Torrance? With your disturbing knowledge of all movies and books ever made, and that's the best you can come up with?"

"You try being witty while running on three hours of sleep," Rory replied.

"Three? What have you been doing? Late night partying?" he asked seriously, looking her in the eyes.

She laughed slightly at the look on his face. "Don't you know it. You're just jealous 'cause you weren't invited."

The door to their dorm opened and Paris came out. "Are you two just going to stand there all day and wake the whole dorm, or are you going to come in?"

"I'm sorry, did we wake you?" Rory asked worriedly.

"No, my alarm went off a few minutes ago. But I heard you two out here. Neither of you are particularly quiet, you know. I'm surprised no one's thrown things yet," Paris replied, saying the last part under her breath.

"Why thank you, Paris. I'm glad to see one of you still has manners when it comes to guests," Tristan said, throwing a smirk at Rory.

"You're pushing it, DuGray," Paris muttered, going back into her room so she could get clothes to change into after her shower.

"Really, not so much love at once," Tristan replied sarcastically.

Rory lay down on the couch and shut her eyes. "What are you doing today? Hitting on college girls and getting invited to parties?"

"Actually, no. I'm going Christmas shopping and then out to lunch with James," he replied. "Bye, Paris." Paris waved to him as she passed him to go to the showers.

"Hmm, I should do that. After sleeping for one hundred hours, that is," Rory added on after thought, moving to make herself more comfortable. Tristan lifted her feet up and sat there, laying her feet back down on his lap.

"You haven't gone Christmas shopping yet?" he teasingly asked.

"Hey, Mr. I'm-Too-Cool-For-College, some of us still actually have classes and homework," she pointed out.

"What time is your last class?" Tristan asked.

Rory paused for a moment. "Uh, eleven. Why? That's too late for breakfast."

Tristan laughed. "Not according to some people."

"Touché."

"No, I was wondering if you wanted to go out to lunch with James and me, then we could go Christmas shopping. I need your help on picking things out for Lorelai, Lane, and Paris. Not to mention anyone who might castrate me for not getting them presents," Tristan asked her.

"Sure. I think Paris is going out with Professor Fleming today," Rory replied, making a face.

Tristan smirked. "Uh-oh, someone's not very approving."

"It's not that. It's just weird. My grandfather introduced them. They went to college together." Rory made another face, mixed in with a wide yawn.

"I think I'll leave you alone," Tristan suggested, getting up.

Rory pouted. "Really? Then I'll miss class because I'll have no one to wake me up because I'll be too lazy to get my alarm clock and missing class will mean not turning in the thesis paper I redid last night, thus the reason of my lack of sleep because I got an idea for the paper and ended up redoing the whole thing."

Tristan laughed. "Do you always talk this much when you haven't had a lot of sleep?"

"Yeah," she admitted.

"Fine, I'll stay," he conceded in defeat.

"Yay," she murmured, turning another way and falling asleep.

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Rory opened her eyes. Tristan was flipping through her _Pride & Prejudice_ book. He was sitting in the same position he'd been sitting in before. One of her legs was strewn over her lap, and the other foot was pushed up against his thigh.

"What time is it?" she asked.

Tristan turned toward her and frowned. "You do realize all your books are written in, right?"

"What time is it?" Rory repeated, sitting up.

"Some of them are funny, though," he continued, pretending that he hadn't even heard her question. "But I never thought of you writing in books."

"Jess did," Rory impatiently told him. "What time is it?"

Calmly, Tristan looked down at his watch. "Nine-thirty."

Rory's eyes widened. "What? You didn't wake me up?"

Tristan smirked. "I'm kidding, it's eight-twenty. But you should've seen the look on your face."

Her eyes went from wide to narrow slits in a split second. She leaned over and smacked Tristan's arm. "That was mean!"

He shrugged. "Maybe. But it was funny."

She stuck her tongue out at him and got up. Tristan trailed after her, resuming his reading. "The notes are sometimes more interesting than the book," he commented.

"Jess'll be pleased then," she replied, gathering up some clothes.

Tristan flopped down on her bed. He turned one way, then the other, and finally laced his fingers together behind the pillow he had his head laying on. "This is comfier than my bed."

"You sleep on a couch," she pointed out.

He shrugged. "Too true."

"I've got to go take a shower and then go to class, but meet me here at eleven-thirty," she told him.

"Fine, I'll just wander around aimlessly until you come back," he dead-panned.

"Glad to know you'll have something to do," she quipped.

"I'll miss you!" he sing-songed to her as she went out the door.

"Thank you," she replied. "But you have to go, also."

He pouted. "Really? I don't wanna."

"Too bad," she said, pointing to the door.

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Tristan showed up right at eleven-thirty like she'd asked him to. She looked at him, then her watch, and back up at him. "You're on time."

"If this is shocking, you should see me at formal parties. I actually hold a conversation that doesn't involve the opposite sex or what party I went to," he told her teasingly.

She rolled her eyes. "But guys aren't supposed to be early. It's so the girl can have more time to get ready."

"What's the point?" Tristan asked. "You're just gonna make me wait anyway."

"The point is that you're supposed to be late," Rory replied.

"Now you're just arguing in circles," he pointed out.

Rory walked back into her room while Tristan made himself at home on their couch. "What time does James's class get out?"

"Around twelve-thirty. Probably about twelve-fifteen. But I thought we could go get coffee first so you don't go through withdrawal and kill somebody," he said.

"That's ridiculous. My mom would kill somebody, not me," she replied.

"Not up to her level yet?" he called to her.

She appeared in the doorway of her room. "Not yet. She has sixteen years on me, remember that."

"Are you ready?" Tristan asked.

"Yeah, but I think that I should make you wait a couple more minutes while I do nothing in my room," she said.

"You could, but you'd be missing coffee," he pointed out.

Rory paused. "Fine. You win; this time. But remember, I'll get back at you somehow."

Tristan smirked again and opened up the door to let her pass. "You wish."

They arrived at a coffee shop a couple blocks away from the restaurant Tristan said they were meeting James at. Rory had only been there once, but she remembered that they had good coffee. Usually she just got it from the campus, and while some were good, most weren't as good. Growing up with Luke's coffee was definitely a double-edged sword.

"How have your classes been?" Tristan asked after they ordered.

"Good. Tiring. Because of midterms next week, the teachers have been piling the homework on us. I'm actually hoping to get a job soon, though. I already have all my classes scheduled for the morning so I could do my homework in the afternoon," she told him.

"What were you planning on doing? Working in a coffee shop?" he teased.

"Actually, no. I can drink coffee, there's no doubt about that, but I can't make it to save me life," she admitted.

"Ah, so the mystery of the missing coffee-maker in your dorm room is solved," Tristan quipped, leaning back and stroking his chin as if in an old black and white detective movie.

"What about you? Are you going to stay with James the whole year?" she asked.

Tristan shrugged. "Not sure. Depends if he wants me to or not. If not, I have another friend at Princeton that I haven't seen in a while."

"Did James go to Chilton?" Rory questioned.

Tristan laughed. "Not if he could help it. He comes from California. I met him at military school. He was my bunkmate."

"California, huh? Have you ever been there?"

"A couple times," he answered.

Their coffee came a few minutes later, and their conversation kept up a steady flow until Tristan's cell phone rang twenty minutes after twelve. Rory took it upon herself to enjoy the people-watching so as not to try and listen in on Tristan's conversation. It was hard not to, however, considering he was sitting approximately three feet away from her.

"Hey," Tristan answered.

"Man, you'll never guess the amount of crap Professor Jacobson piled on us for homework this weekend," James complained.

"I'm guess you're out of class?" Tristan asked.

"No, they just removed the 'no cell' rule," James replied sarcastically. "Of course I'm out, what do you think?"

"Somebody woke up on the wrong side of the bed," Tristan teased.

"No, somebody woke up on the early side of the bed," James corrected. "Man, I'll be at the restaurant in, like, five minutes."

"I invited Rory," Tristan told him. Rory turned at the sound of her name, but didn't say anything.

James frowned. That name sounded familiar, but not because Tristan talked about her all the time. Did he have a dream about her? He could practically see her in his mind's eye due to Tristan's adjective-heavy descriptions.

Brushing it off, he replied, "Cool. It'll be nice to meet the girl who's stolen my boy's heart."

"Have you ever considered taking your comedy act out on the road?" Tristan asked sardonically.

"I have, but alas it'd never worked out," James said dramatically. "Can't wait to see you squirm."

And before Tristan could come up with a retort, James had hung up on him.


	13. The Difficulties of Musical Selections

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- That sage advice you promised? It's gonna be coming soon. How do I know this? Coz I've read my newest chapter. I swear, it's like I have no control over myself. El sigh. Whatever, it's a filler. I already know what I want to do with the next chapter. But the soap-opera arc thing? Cracked my shit up. It was funny, seriously. Even if I didn't follow any of it...

**Ms. Vaughn**- Oh my god! Germaphobes are the best. Unless they're Michael Jackson... Haha. Sorry, I couldn't resist. Might as well make a Kobe Bryant one while I'm at it... Or not. Whatever, I'm not picky. But honestly, germaphobes are awesome. And Sebastian Bach wearing eyeliner on the episode last Tuesday? Brilliance! I was immediately reminded of Skid Row... how I miss thee... Ok, random tangent. Anywho, I'm in an exceptionally good mood. Why? Not sure. Lots of homework. Hate marine bio and hate Kyle for telling me that it's easier than regular bio. Pssh! Whatever. Ok, no more random tangents. I'm done, honestly.

**liz3386**- I made a big deal about it for no reason, actually. Haha. I bet I probably met for it to mean something, but no. I was thinking about the Jess thing, and you know what? I'm just so used to thinking of Jess as a guy's name that I forgot that it's also a girl's name. Oh well, nobody's perfect.

**PomegranateQueen**- cackles evilly and does the Mr. Burns finger tap Excellent...

More thank yous to **Karin**, **badwriter**, **Lioness-07863**, **readergurl87**, **whisperofinsanity**, **Mommasdevil**, **OTHlover04**, **Callista NicTeryn**, **TiCkLeDpInK22**, **Nicolette**, **talia7899**, **loser7**, **MzFreak**, **smile1**, **Her Juliet, at the** **Cellar Door**. I love you all alot!

A/N: Holy shit, you're all on my good list. Hell, you're on my 'special people who must have a special place in freakin' heaven!' list! 136 reviews! Hot damn! I thought I'd only get, like, 50. At the most! I curse a lot more when I'm happy. Or angry. Can you tell? Oh, man, I've been having a good week. Well, good in everything except school. PE has become a lot more enjoyable. Let's leave it at that. Or not. Let's not. My friends are already bored of me saying this: I have a boyfriend! Yeah, ok, great. Moving on. So, I've been writing this chapter for the past two weeks. No shit. Not continuously, but more or less consisant. Hope you all like it, coz it's short and I really want to write the next chapter. It'll be up.... god, I dunno. Hopefully before homecoming.... Also, how did you all know about the James/Thomas thing? And here I thought I was being sneaky. Curses! Also, watching the best movie ever now: Kill Bill. Yay!

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James was exactly how Rory imagined him to look like. He had shaggy blondish-brown hair that he kept sweeping out of his face with a head jerk. His hands were shoved into a jacket that was open over a Rolling Stones t-shirt. On his feet he wore tattered Doc Martins that matched his ripped up jeans. And though his teeth were chattering slightly, he was grinning almost manically.

_Of course he looks familiar_, she thought. I _just saw him this morning!_

"Thomas!" she exclaimed, shock evident on her face.

"It's James," he replied smoothly. "If I'd known that you were Tristan's Rory, I wouldn't have bothered with the whole mystique thing."

Rory raised an eyebrow at Tristan. He glared at James who merely stared back at him with his most innocent look.

"So lunch?" James asked, gesturing towards the restaurant they were standing in front of.

As they were getting seated, James pulled out a seat for Rory. To Tristan, he mouthed 'step up!'

"Tell me a little about yourself, James," Rory said after they were seated as a way to break the ice.

Tristan smirked at him and suggested, "Why don't you start by telling her about how you ended up in military school?"

James calmly took a sip of his water. He kicked Tristan in the shin under the table as he began to speak. Tristan bit his lip to keep from cursing at the top of his lungs. James gave Rory his nicest smile and began.

"The first month of my junior year, there was a huge hurricane off the coast of Baja. This great beach in San Clemente- about twenty minutes from where I lived- was getting eight to ten footers, so everyday for a week my friends and I would skip the first three periods to surf down there. We'd call in as our parents to get ourselves out, but it wasn't one of our best ideas, and the school caught on eventually, especially when a friend of mine called in completely stoned. We all kicked out of school for three months, but my over-dramatic parents decided to send me to a place where I couldn't surf."

Tristan gripped the arms of his chair. James, his best friend, already had a girlfriend. And there he was, laying on the charm even while he told a story he hated to tell. And then James smiled at him. It was the same smile he'd had on his face when he'd sauntered up and saw Rory. It was a grin he'd mastered just as Tristan had mastered his smirk.

He didn't know he hadn't noticed it before. It was a trademark, one that he should've already picked up on. This was James's 'I'm fucking with you and there's not a damn thing you can do about it' grin. Tristan smirked back at him and leaned his chair on the hind two legs.

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James, Rory, and Tristan hung around outside the restaurant for a few minutes before departing. It was snowing slightly, not enough to do any damage, but James was keeping them though he had work in ten minutes. His claim was that he was already going to be late, so why not enjoy it. Tristan knew the truth though: James got nervous driving in the snow. Even when he'd go up to Mammoth in California to go snowboarding, he'd make somebody else drive.

Finally, James had to leave. He shook hands with Tristan, though shivered while doing it.

"Are you cold?" Rory asked.

"Nah," he replied, and then shuttered. His teeth chattered while he talked. "Ok, maybe a little. But my car's close."

"Well, I guess I'll see you around," she said a bit awkwardly. She'd never been able to really say anything to people she didn't know that well.

James just laughed and wrapped his arms around her in a big bear hug, much to her surprise. Tristan ground his teeth, though he tried not to let it get to him.

"Well, man, wish me luck. I just hope el jefe won't fire my ass." James shook his head slightly. To Rory, he said, "I know I'll be seeing you around a lot more." He gave Tristan a pointed look and walked away, rubbing his arms and laughing to himself.

"He's nice," Rory decided.

"Yeah, you're not his best friend," Tristan muttered, turning to his car. "C'mon, we've gotta get to my car. You're freezing."

"I am not!" Rory defended, running after him. "I play in the snow all the time. I relish the snow. As my mom would say, everything good happens in the snow."

Tristan laughed and wrapped a playful arm around her shoulder. "Yes, and both you and your mom are insane." He mussed her hair around her head so it stuck out every which way.

Rory giggled and pushed him away. "Jerk!"

"Your insults aren't that effective when you're giggling," he told her, unlocking his car. "Besides, you look cute like that. It's very just-got-out-of-bed."

Rory rolled her eyes. "Pervert."

"Actually, I was talking about sleeping, not sleeping around, but you were, so I guess that makes you the pervert," he informed her. Rory got in the car and turned the seat warmers up. Tristan gave her a triumphant look. "See, I knew you were cold."

"You're still on that?" she asked.

"Mary, Mary, Mary," Tristan said disapprovingly. "When will you learn that I don't get over things all that easily?"

"When you learn my name," she quipped.

Tristan chuckled. "Good one, Mar."

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Tristan pulled up to Saks Fifth Avenue forty-five minutes later. Rory peered out of her window and then turned her gaze back to Tristan.

"You're joking, right?"

"What do you suggest, then?" he replied, raising a questioning eyebrow in her direction.

"Many places; music store, kitchen appliance store-"

"Kitchen appliance store?" he asked with a smirk. "There's a kitchen appliance store?"

"There's a store for everything," she told him defensively. "Besides, those aren't my only suggestions. There's also the used book store if you're going to get something for Paris."

"And then the coffee shop?" he asked sarcastically, maneuvering out of the crowed parking lot.

"Only if you'd like to stay on my mom's good side," she replied with a smirk of her own.

He smirked back at her. "You two really are some pieces of work, aren't you?"

She stuck her tongue out at him. "Just drive."

He mocked saluted her. "Aye, aye, cap'n."

"What would your captain say if he saw you now?" Rory teased.

"To do one hundred push ups," he replied.

Tristan pulled up to Tower Records. Rory looked at him. "This should take a while. Zach and Lane have similar tastes, but their music is hard to find. For Zach, I'd suggest something like The Thrills or The Rapture. For Lane, something similar to Zero 7 or The Charlatans UK."

"What about Lorelai?" he questioned.

"Oh, she's easy. Just get her Bowie or Blondie. Luke has dibs on the new U2 cd, though, so that's off limits to you," she warned him. "You can get her a movie if you'd like. You've seen our taste."

"What're you getting for me?" Tristan asked her excitedly.

Rory rolled her eyes. "A lobotomy."

He winced. "Harsh, Ror."

"I'm kidding. I don't know. What do you like?"

"Well, I recently heard two bands I liked: Pepper and Flogging Molly."

"Which do you like better?"

"I have to pick just one?" he whined, giving her puppy dog eyes.

Rory stifled a laugh and put on her best disapproving look. "How old are you, six? Yes, rich boy, you only get one. I'm not made of money."

He folded his arms over his chest and turned away from her. "If you're gonna be that way."

She rolled her eyes again and opened the door. "I'll see you inside."

"Fine. Pepper," he decided.

"What kind of music is it?" she asked, pausing from getting out to turn back and look at him.

"Reggae," he replied, getting out faster than her.

"Show off!" she called out to him as he sped up in front of her.

He craned his head back to smirk at her. "That's why you love me!"

Rory rolled her eyes. "If you keep that up, no cd at all for you."

Tristan put his right hand over his heart and pretended to faint. "That hurts, Mar. That hurts right here." He tapped his chest for emphasis.

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Over an hour and a half later, Tristan and Rory met at the register. "Ok, hand them over, mister."

"Don't trust me?" he replied sarcastically.

"Not even with amnesia," she quipped back. "Gimme."

He leered at her. "When you put it that way."

She rolled her eyes. "Just give me your choices, and I can tell you whether or not you'll get laughed at."

He smirked and gave her his basket. "Your present isn't in there, you know."

"Oh darn, you caught me. I was hoping to sneak a peek at whatever you might be getting me," she dead-panned.

"Yes, that's right, I've out-snuck a Gilmore. My Nobel Peace Prize in Craftiness should be arriving any day now," he replied.

"Like you need any more money," she retorted, rifting through the CDs. "These actually look pretty good. I hate to say this, but you did a good job."

He took the basket back and turned around. "Can I get that in writing?"

She smiled at his back. "Nope!"


	14. Silent Night and Eggnog

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- Well, I tend to think of James as a good guy. Just a bit of an asshole. He's actually based on a guy in my math class... well, the looks anyway. But, haha, such a filler. What can I say? I blame school. But, whoot! The Sage Story Specialist came back! Whoot! Haha. Sorry, but whenever I hear that, I always think of a TV show I could pitch... hee. I'm so easily entertained. It's sad. But, like I've said, I'm in love with James. What can I say? I'd better love him. Haha. I did come up with him. But I've considered your suggestions, and I love them. I really do. But, I don't want James to be interested in Rory. Because, well, I love James and I want him for myself. Hehe. Sounds gross, doesn't it? Oh man, randomness time: I love Logan. So much. Hee! And Finn. I adore Finn. I wanted to see his reenactment of The Passion of the Christ. Haha! I would've died to see that. But, ok, back on task. I didn't mind the long review or anything you said. I enjoyed it. Anywho, can't wait for your next review! Love ya!

**Ms. Vaughn**- I adore being random. I can talk forever.... ok, no I can't, but I can talk really fast so I run out of breath. I did that once at PE because I was really hyper. Austin and Hillary were a tad bit worried, to say the least. Heh. Sad. Nope, you weren't making things up: James is Thomas. Or the other way around... would that be better? Oh well, I'm too lazy to change it.

**xoxocmmxoxo**- I heard about Pepper in my Spanish class, and decided to check them out. Heh. Interesting, huh? Not. Hee. I'm taking a trip into the 90s, so I've been using a bunch of 90s slang for the past couple of weeks. I even had a dream about the word psyche. Not kidding.

**Lioness-07863**- No, she didn't. She will when she's ready... or if I need a plot shocker... haha. Fanfic sweeps. No, I'm kidding about that. She will when she's ready.

More thank yous to** Padme the 2nd**, **clockwatcher**, **ilovecookies3**, **readergurl87**, **Hatelover**, **Ivy**, **Callista NicTeryn**, **mar0506**, **mz.sammiz**, **liz3386**, **OTHlover04**, **TiCkLeDpInK22**, **smile1**, **PomegranateQueen**. I love you all alot!

A/N: Heh. I should be doing my Science homework. I know this. I really do. But, honestly, wasn't finishing this chapter more important? Sorry about the delay. My life? Kinda hard. Well, not really, but between the exhausting class work and... ok, that's it. It's been hard! I know I'm a chronic complainer, but I can't help it. So I'm going to bitch: I hate school! It's hard! Heh. I'm such a procrastinator.

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It was two days until Yale got out for winter break, and Tristan still didn't know what he was getting Rory. He was sitting with his legs draped across the back of the couch and racking his brain. James wasn't being very helpful, either.

"Get her a surfboard," he suggested.

Tristan just stared at his friend, as if he couldn't believe he suggested that. "She doesn't surf, jackass."

James just grinned at him. "Then get me a surfboard."

"You have three. And I already got you something," Tristan added after a short pause. "What'd you get Maggie?"

James smiled at the sound of his girlfriend's name. "Besides the free flight to California?"

"To meet your family?" Tristan finished sarcastically. "Lemme rephrase that: what actual gift did you get her that won't scar her?"

"Picky," James tsked. "I got her a first edition hard copy of _The Age of Innocence_ and 'Sticky Fingers' on vinyl."

"A Rolling Stones record?" Tristan asked doubtfully.

James glared at him. "Her favorite cd, which she scratched up from use, so I got her the vinyl."

Tristan thought about this a moment. "So you're saying I should get her a book and a CD?"

"Not necessarily a book, but something that will mean something to her. I know this may come as a shock for you, but not everything important costs thousands of dollars," James told him.

"So a book laced with coffee beans," Tristan clarified.

"Now you're thinking!" James exclaimed. "You're really not good with this whole shopping for other's thing, are you?"

"Shut up!"

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"What're you doing?"

Tristan jumped and dropped the book he was holding. He turned around to see Paris looking at him smugly. "Jesus, Gellar!"

"Did you not get Rory a present yet?" she asked, picking up the book he was looking at. "_Huckleberry Finn_? She already has that book. Try Tolstoy."

"The Russian dude?" Tristan replied.

"Yes, the 'Russian dude.' Get _The Death of Ivan Ilych_," Paris suggested. She skimmed through the books. She picked one out and handed it to him. "She's been wanting to read it for a while."

Tristan stood stunned for a moment, before shaking out of it. "Paris. Thanks."

"Don't mention it. Just have a good time in Stars Hollow for me," she advised him.

He smirked at her. "I think I can manage it."

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Rory answered her door to find Tristan on the other side with coffee and his luggage. "I don't want to drive. I'll be your slave forever if I can hitch a ride with you again."

"Good to know," she replied.

"Please?" he begged, sticking out his lower lip in a comical way.

She laughed slightly. "Fine. Just hand over the coffee and no one will get hurt."

"Nice to see where your priorities lie," he told her sarcastically, giving her the coffee.

"Nice to see that you aren't above cheap bribery," she replied in the same sarcastic tone that he'd spoken to her with.

"So are you ready to leave?" he asked. "The festival is tonight, right?"

"Yeah," she replied. "I just have some more homework to do. We can leave in about an hour."

"Then why'd I bother to ask you?" he said jokingly.

"Because you'd miss my witty conversations," she quipped.

He sighed. "You know me too well." He flopped down on the couch, now a ritual when he would come over.

"Make yourself at home," Rory told him sardonically.

"Really?" he asked, mocking surprise. "Thanks!"

She rolled her eyes and continued to type away at her laptop. Tristan turned on the TV and flipped through the channels at a rapid pace. He switched sitting positions five times, causing much noise on the couch. Rory finally looked up at him, annoyed.

"Is there a reason that you can't stop moving?"

"Oh, was that distracting you?" he asked innocently, looking up at her.

She growled in frustration and saved her work before slamming the top of her laptop down. "Fine, we're leaving now. Are you happy?"

He smirked at her. "Extremely."

"You're impossible," she muttered, gathering up her things she was bringing to Stars Hollow.

"Really?" he asked, lack of interest in the subject. "So, what'd you get me?"

"A lump of coal," she replied, ushering him out of her dorm room.

"Really? I guess Paris could turn it into a diamond for me," he told her, snickering at his own joke.

Rory didn't dignify him with a response the whole walk to the car. "Just stick your stuff in the back again. How come you have two suitcases this time?"

"Presents," Tristan simply replied.

"For the whole town?" she asked skeptically.

"No. But I happen to have gotten many big presents for Lorelai."

"Suck up."

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"Rory!" Lorelai screamed, running out of the diner to greet her daughter.

Rory oofed as her mom hit with full force, pulling her into a big hug. "Hi, Mom."

"Tonight, you, me, the coffee, and a blanket in front of the house. We need to celebrate the snow like we used to," Lorelai promised her.

"Ok, Mom," Rory replied. From the town square, she saw Hep Alien rehearsing a faster version of 'Silent Night,' and Taylor directing Tom and Kirk on where to set up the tree.

"Silent Night is a slow song!" Taylor yelled at said rehearsing band.

Nobody replied, but when Taylor turned his back to walk over to Lorelai, Zach flipped him the bird.

Taylor, oblivious to the whole thing, asked Lorelai, "Is everyone in the town contributing to the tree? Because we need full town participation for this to be a success."

"All except those that don't celebrate Christmas," Lorelai replied, trying desperately to rid her voice of the condescending tone.

"Oh yes, we have a whole other celebration planned out for them," Taylor replied, distracted. "Hello, Rory."

"Hi, Taylor," she politely said back.

He pointed at Tristan. "Is this one a hoodlum too?"

Lorelai laughed loudly, then quickly shut her mouth, struggling to keep the giggles contained. Rory's jaw nearly dropped at Taylor's bluntness. "I'm not dating Tristan, Taylor."

He looked both of them over, somewhat disapproving and somewhat speculatively. "Oh. My mistake." He turned back to Kirk and Tom. "That's not straight! I want the tip perpendicular with the ground!"

"The snow is making that hard," Kirk called back as he struggled with the heavy tree.

Rory turned to her mother. "Why would Taylor think that?"

"Gee, Rory, can you say that with a little more disdain in your voice? My ego isn't quite bruised enough," Tristan said sarcastically, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Rory immediately started apologizing. "Tristan, I'm sorry, I didn't mean it like that. I meant-"

Tristan held his hand up. "Never mind, I don't care. I'm going to go talk to Zach for a while. I'll see you at the festival later, ok?" Without waiting for a reply, he walked off.

Rory and Lorelai watched him retreat. Lorelai put an arm around her daughter and maneuvered her toward the diner. "You think I hurt his feelings?" Rory asked her mom.

"No, honey, I think he's being a guy. Albeit, a mysterious one, but a guy nonetheless. We'll see him tonight," Lorelai assured her.

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The snow crunched softly under the footfall of the mother and daughter making their way to the middle of town, chatting animatedly to each other. They rounded a corner and passed Luke's diner, staring at it for a second before they crossed the street to enter into the festivities that Taylor had planned.

Lorelai and Rory, already drinking eggnog and eating anything they could find, watched as the pair intermingled themselves with the rest of the town.

Lorelai turned to Rory. "Ok, what did Tristan get me?"

Rory laughed. "Sorry, I can't tell you that."

"Oh, come on!" Lorelai begged.

Rory merely shook her head. "I can't. He made me promise."

"But, what you don't know, is that he's been saying really mean things about you behind your back, so now you have to tell me to get revenge on him!" Lorelai informed her.

"Nice try, and it would be effective if you hadn't tried it on me last year," Rory replied.

"That's not nice. You're purposely holding out on me to see me squirm," Lorelai pointed out.

"Christmas is in two days. You can't wait until then?" Rory asked.

"No," came the reply.

Rory decided it was time for a topic change. "Where's Luke?"

Lorelai pointed to the diner. "He said that I need to spend more time with you, and he needs to spend more time with his inventory."

"That's very wise of him."

"I thought so." Lorelai linked arms with her daughter. "So, kid, ready to enter the fray yet again?"

Rory looked at her mother in alarm. "Do I need to see Kirk dressed as an elf again?"

Lorelai laughed. "No. I'm sure that was all you could take. We'll avoid the Santa attraction. For now."

"You're evil."

"It's a hard job, but somebody needs to do it."

Rory wanted to reply, but Tristan interrupted her. Without saying a word, he bent down and gave her a sloppy, drunken kiss before turning around and disappearing into the crowd that was forming around the stage waiting for Hep Alien to begin.

Rory touched her lips in surprise. She looked at her mom, who was biting her tongue willing herself not to burst out laughing.

Lorelai was able to manage, "Well, that was unexpected."


	15. Meet Me Under the Mistletoe

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**Jess**- Thank you again so so much! Haha. I bet you're getting tired of hearing that. Well, I hope not. But still. It's… ok, I don't really know what to say, so I'm just gonna kinda shut up now.

**Ms. Vaughn**- Mmmmm…. a Logan kiss… that would be beyond awesome… or Finn. I have a sad obsession with Finn, y'know, not that anyone could tell or anything (yeah right!) Haha. But you know what? I read your review, and all of the sudden, my life just felt more complete knowing that you love Logan, just as I'm sure your life is more complete knowing of my obsession with Finn.

**liz3386**- mwahaha. I heart Taylor with all my, well, heart. And yes, Tristan did. See first sentence. I'm evil. Bwahahaha! Kidding… or am I…?

**katiebird**- oh man, you live in New Zealand? That's awesome! I'm glad to be helping your Gilmore Girls cravings.

**beauty unfolds**- It's…. ok, I can't reveal that... haha. Eggnog… I haven't really tried it, as a friend of mine was wowed to find out. He told me that I'm trying the Eggnog Lattes at Starbucks next time we go. Haha. I'm a Peppermint Mocha girl, myself. Don't worry, random is good. I survive on randomness.

More thank yous to **Amanda**, **mar0506**, **smile1**, **rika**, **Padme the 2nd**, **Chubyheart**, **amanda**, **romik**, **queenmischa**, **xoxocmmxoxo**, **piper-h-99**, **Juliet in Neverland**, **sooty7sweep**, **c**, **OTHlover04**. I love you all alot!

A/N: This chapter is dedicated to Jess, because without her, well the story kinda wouldn't be here. Sorry it took so long, I really am. I've been having troubles of sorts, but hey, the next chapter is here, and that's all that matters, right? Well, Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and Happy New Years to you all! I hope to have the next chapter up before Christmas, because I know where I'm going with the story, but yeah, things happen, so this is just in case. But I'm hoping to have lots of time, because Winter Break is in a week! Whoot!

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"That was unexpected?" Rory exclaimed. "That's an understatement! That was weird. It was odd. It was very un-Tristan like."

"Hon, he was drunk. Or, should I say, is drunk. Nobody acts like themselves when they're drunk. Or when I've spiked the already spiked eggnog," Lorelai explained with a mischievous grin.

"Mom!"

"It makes it taste better," Lorelai replied.

"What's Taylor going to say?" Rory asked.

"Nothing. Unless you tell him. You don't want to rat out your own mother," Lorelai pointed out.

"Do you know how many people in this town drink the eggnog?"

"I'm waiting for them all to pass out so I can dress up like Santa and steal all their presents to keep for myself," her mom said.

"I don't think that's how the Grinch operated."

"He was misguided," Lorelai retorted.

"And now, Hep Alien!" Taylor introduced, gesturing to the band members as they came out from back stage.

Lorelai nudged Rory. "How about we bum rush the stage as soon as they begin? We could body surf."

"I don't think I trust the people of this town to keep me up, especially since you spiked the eggnog," Rory replied.

Gil and Zach started singing 'Jingle Bells'. In the middle of the song, Gil launched into a guitar solo, almost jumping off the stage.

Rory stood on her tip-toes, scanning the crowd and watching the band.

"What're you doing?" Lorelai asked, amused.

"Watching the band," Rory replied.

"He's not up there, and you won't find him in the crowd," Lorelai pointed out. "And even if you do, what are you going to do? Try to reason with him and find out why he kissed you? Babe, he's drunk."

"I'm not looking for him," Rory protested.

Lorelai hid a smile. "I must have been mistaken, then."

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Rory found Lane backstage after the performance. Lane rushed over to her, drumsticks still in hand. "How'd we do?"

"You did fine," Rory assured her. "Taylor didn't stop it, and nothing was thrown onstage."

Lane squealed and gave her best friend a huge hug, hitting her in the back with the drumsticks in the process.

Zach wondered over, carrying two cups of eggnog. "Rory. Did you hear my guitar solo during 'Jingle Bell Rock'?"

Rory glanced over at Lane for a moment, who held a giggle behind her hand. "I did. It was very-" she searched for the right word-"inspirational."

Zach bobbed his head. "It kicked ass."

"Tons of it," she agreed, nodding her head and struggling to keep a straight face.

As if to symbolize something, he held up one of the cups in a mock toast, and then downed it in one gulp.

"Do you know the eggnog's spiked?" Rory asked.

Zach lifted up the remaining cup and examined it from all sides. "Really?" he asked slowly. "No wonder it tastes so good." He thrusted his glass toward Rory and Lane one more time, then walked off.

Lane, finally not being able to hold it in any longer, burst out laughing. "He is completely smashed." Rory started to giggle also, but Lane called her on something. "You're blushing. Girl talk time. Spill."

Rory sighed, knowing there was no way she could hide something like this from Lane. "Tristan kissed me."

Lane squealed again, jumping up and down. "Again? Why?"

"He was drunk."

"So? Drunken men never lie. They may be a bit impaired, but they don't lie."

Rory shook her head. "Tristan doesn't like me."

"Of course not," Lane agreed in a mockingly solemn voice.

"Are you ready to join in the festivities now that you're done?" Rory asked in an abrupt change of the subject.

"Sure. Let me put my drumsticks down." The two walked off the stage and toward the gazebo.

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"Where's Lorelai?" Lane asked. She had picked up a candy cane and was twirling it around with her fingers.

"Luke's. She's trying to convince him to be more social. Apparently, the hair flip is going to be involved."

"It never fails," Lane agreed.

They climbed the steps of the gazebo, and Miss Patty met them halfway up. "Rory, Lane. How nice to see you both."

"Hi, Miss Patty."

"Lane, I saw that band of yours playing. That guitarist of yours is very nice." Miss Patty looked at her in a way so that Lane could not misinterpret her words.

Lane made a face, causing Miss Patty to laugh. "Well, I must be off. I have to find that charming friend of yours, Rory. He promised me a dance."

Rory smiled. "Bye, Miss Patty."

"Bye, dear." She turned, but ran into someone else and struck up a conversation.

Rory walked up the rest of the gazebo steps, but was literally run into by a man.

"Sorry." The man tipped his hat and bowed deeply to her. She looked at him, studying him, sure he wasn't from the town. He was about her age, but she wasn't sure. He had an Australian accent, and a top hat was perched on the top of his head.

"Look up." Rory followed Lane's directions and tipped her head back, only to see mistletoe.

The man followed her gaze up. He threw an arm around her and returned his gaze back to her. "Well, love, guess we're obligated. Unfortunately, I have to make this quick. We're on our way to Hartford, but decided to make a pit stop before facing the parents. So, I'm going to have to really impress you later. Do you mind?"

Rory laughed. "No." She leaned up.

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Tristan watched as Rory laughed about something the jack-ass she was with said something, then leaned up to kiss him. He had spotted her, and was going to talk to her when that happened.

He turned away, disgusted. _Fuck this_, he thought. _I can take the bus to my parents. They won't be happy to see me, but it'll be better than here._

He stalked away, never knowing that Lorelai saw him.

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Rory gave the man a light peck on the lips.

"C'mon, Finn," came an irritated cry.

Finn tipped his hat toward Rory again. "Sorry again, m'lady, but I have to bid you adieu. 'Til we meet again." He bowed slightly, then jumped down the steps and hopped into a waiting Escalade.

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Tristan angrily shoved his things in his bag. He'd go spend the rest of the year at Harvard with Ryan, and then probably apply there. If he never had to see Rory fuckin' Gilmore again, he'd be just fine. With disgust, he threw her present on the couch.

Lorelai was sitting ob the back of the bus stop bench, calmly drinking coffee. She turned her head to look at him as he turned around to walk the other way.

"Hold it right there, Terry Malloy," she commanded.

"What?" he snapped.

"Where're you going?" She took another sip of her coffee.

"My parents."

"Never pegged you as the masochistic type."

"I'm chock-full of surprises."

"I repeat, where're you going?" Another sip of coffee.

"My parents."

"You're going around in circles," she pointed out.

"So are you," he countered.

"What'd she do? Is she still oblivious?"

"I don't wanna talk about her," he told Lorelai simply, flopping himself down on the bench beside her.

"Too bad, I do."

"So you can talk, and I'm gonna wait for the bus."

"I'm sorry, what are you going to do? I couldn't hear you over all your asshatishness," Lorelai dead-panned.

Tristan raised an eyebrow her direction. "Is that even a word?"

"No questioning my etymology while I'm mad at you." She paused, then added, "Or ever."

"I'm not going to talk."

"And I'm not going to leave you alone until you do."

They sat in silence, listening to the music coming from the town square not too far away. Lorelai studied Tristan for a bit, before saying,

"You play a very convincing drunk."

"Years of practice." He opened his mouth to add something else to his statement, but snapped it shut right away. Lorelai looked at him, so he just blurted out, "She kissed someone else."

Lorelai promptly burst out laughing.

"What?" Tristan was getting a bit annoyed now at Lorelai. _Were all the Gilmore girls this annoying?_ He then mentally chastised himself, knowing that he should know the answer to that.

"You obviously don't know Rory as well as you like to think you do," Lorelai informed him. "Rory doesn't go around randomly kissing people."

"Well, she did."

Lorelai laughed again. "Not only was that an incredibly unintelligent argument, but there was a reason. There had to be." She looked around, taking in the setting, before declaring, "Such as mistletoe, perhaps?"

Tristan suddenly felt very stupid. He should have known it was something like that. Rory didn't do that. Logically, he knew that. Logic somehow seemed to fail him when he was around her, however, and know he was incredibly embarrassed. He refused to meet Lorelai's gaze.

She put a soothing hand on his back. "It's ok. Just one of the side effects of knowing a Gilmore girl."

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A/N2: Yes, that was Finn. Yes, the Finn. It will all be revealed in at a later time… a sequel of sorts perhaps…? Mwahaha. Maybe, if you play your cards right….


	16. Tradition

Disclaimer: Amy and Daniel Palladino, along with the rest of the WB, own Gilmore Girls. I'm just borrowing the characters.

**ShatteredTears89**- Aw, thank you! I know, I can totally relate. I love Logan, I love Colin, and I love Finn. And I love Marty, but only with Paris…. Strange, I know, but eh. Whatever. Thank you for reviewing!

**rika**- Thank you! I was worried that the last chapter wasn't up to par with the rest of them….

**Padme the 2nd**- Hee. All guys are stupid, but you gotta love them. Especially ones like Tristan….

**sooty7sweep**- Yes, he's a bit… misguided. Haha.

**smile1**- Thank you!

**Ms. Vaughn**- OMFG! If they'd shown the Passion of the Christ reenactment, I may have had a coronary…. That would be hilarious! I loved all the pranking. Fun times, there. His face at the end was priceless! But no more new eppies until January… sadness beeches me…. Jess is so my hero right now. I'm sorry about the finals week thing. Ours aren't until January… but they send out progress reports the Friday of Winter Break. Goddamnit! My parents said that I can't get my permit if I have any Cs. I have two. Fuck! I could get it the 23rd! Aw, oh well. I can still bum rides. Heh. Thank you for everything! I've really enjoyed your reviews! They totally made writing worth it! Thank you again!

**OTHlover04**- Thank you!

**TiCkLeDpInK22**- Hmm… well… no, I'm kidding. I don't need cookies, as long as you like the story.

A/N: Well, I'm really happy that I got this chapter out in reasonable amount of time. So, the holidays are coming up. I hope everybody had or has great holidays! I love you all, and I hope you're all safe and have fun! Peace!

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Tristan knew he was being stupid and rash. But then again, logic had always failed him, so he figured that it was better than being cautious, and then watch her be swept off her feet by someone else.

Someone who wouldn't have a straight nose after meeting Tristan.

The crowd was thinning. It was almost 10:30, and people had to get home to help their kids to bed so that they could leave out their presents or get enough sleep before they were awoken by said children.

Lorelai had promised to bring his things to the diner. For unknown reasons, she had more faith in him than most people. He never asked her about it. He felt strangely connected to her.

Thus he concluded that he had to tell Rory about his feelings. That's how it would end- with the ball in her court. It'd be best if it was out there, right?

But she wasn't in the town square anymore.

So he decided to try her house. It only seemed natural she would be there. On the way there, he pondered what Lorelai had told him. She was the one that had encouraged him to tell Rory. For reasons unbeknownst to him, Lorelai actually liked him. That was good, at least.

He found himself standing on the porch of Rory's house. What would she say? Would she laugh in his face? He was sure she'd laugh, though rationally he knew that Rory Gilmore did not laugh at people to be mean. His rational side did tell him, however, that she would reject him. But he had to tell her.

He took in a shaky breath and knocked on the door. An antagonizing minute and a half later she answered the door wearing pajamas, slippers, and a jacket while her hair was back in a sloppy ponytail. Lane was curled up on the couch watching _It's A Wonderful Life_.

Rory's eyes lit up and her lips curved upwards into a smile. "Hey!"

Tristan shoved his hands into his pockets. "Hey."

"I thought that you had left?" she asked.

"I just moved my stuff to Luke's place," he easily lied. No need to get her worked up too soon. "You know Lorelai. She doesn't trust me enough to have me sleep on the couch for one night."

Rory laughed. "With good reason."

Tristan put a hand to his heart and winced as if he was in pain. "That hurt, Mary. That hurt me right here." He tapped his chest for emphasis.

She tightened the jacket around her torso and wrapped her arms around her stomach to keep the jacket from slipping open and letting in the chill wind that had started up. "I haven't seen you in a while. Where'd you go?"

Tristan shrugged. "I've been around. I saw you with that guy." He tried to keep his last statement cool and casual, he really did, but the jealousy got the best of him and despite his best efforts, it came out sounding bitter.

Her visage drooped to one of shock and a bit of hurt. "You saw me with Finn? I can explain. There was mistletoe and-"

"You didn't want to forgo tradition and tempt the fates?" Tristan finished, not bothering to hide the amusement out of his voice. "I understand. I'm not mad." His eyebrows furrowed as he replayed her reply in his head. "Did you say Finn?"

Rory nodded. "That's what they called him. Why?"

"I know him," he explained. "Well, actually, I know his friend, Logan, better."

"Logan?" she questioned.

"Hutzenberger," he told her with a smirk. Knowing her and the fact that she wanted to be a journalist, it wouldn't be hard for her to place the name with twelve of the most well-known world-wide newspapers.

Rory's eyes widened. "You mean…?" she trailed off.

"The newspaper guy?" he replied. "Son of Mitchum Hutzenberger, yes. We grew up together, but we weren't exactly what you would call best friends. We were always competing with one another." He paused, then added, "I think he goes to Yale now."

She raised an eyebrow. "You've been lurking around there how long now? Almost three months? And you don't know whether or not he goes to the school?"

"He's not one of my preferred acquaintances," he told her dryly. "Plus, I've had other, much more enjoyable, company that I would rather spend my lonely Wednesday nights antagonizing." He wiggled his eyebrows at her.

She rolled her eyes. "Yes, thank god for that," she replied sarcastically.

"Admit it, you enjoy my company," he teased, poking her lightly in the side.

She jumped and poked him back. "So, why do you and he not get along? Bitter rivalry? Was a girl involved?"

Tristan sighed. "I know that my life must be truly fascinating for you, but you're going to need to learn that I am not an open book. There are certain things about my life that need to be kept private."

She snorted with laughter. "You're just as good of a liar as you were at Chilton."

He smirked at her. "I can't fool you anymore, can I?"

She shook her head. "Nope, I'm good at this. That's why I'm an investigative reporter at the Yale Daily News. And what's this about 'anymore'?"

"I lied to you at Chilton!" he cried indignantly.

"When?" she asked.

"When you asked if I still wasn't over Summer and I said no," he pointed out.

"Then who were you talking about?" she challenged.

He looked at her for a second, then looked away and changed the subject. "So you wanted to know about the torrid past of Logan Hutzenberger and I?"

She blinked at the change, but didn't ask him about it. "Yes, please."

"He always thought that he was better than me because his dad owned newspapers all over the world. He forgot that my dad owned the accounting businesses that controlled the money," Tristan explained.

"Better than the infamous King of Chilton?" Rory cried in mock horror. "Say it isn't so!"

"You're good at that quippy thing, you know that?" he asked. She just shrugged in response. "And I wasn't the King of Chilton until he graduated. He was two years ahead of us."

Rory nodded her head in an understanding response. There was a lapse in the conversation. Tristan took his hands out of his pockets, but put then right back in and took them out again. Rory put a hand on his left bicep. His eyes snapped down to the aforementioned hand, and then back up to her face, but not quite focusing on her eyes. His nervous movements ceased, quelled by her warm hand.

"Tristan? Are you okay?" she asked, her voice etched with concern.

"No," he answered truthfully.

"No?" she echoed. "That's not usually the answer I get when I ask that question."

Tristan gave her a faint smirk. "And you know they're lying."

"True," she conceded.

His eyes traveled around her face, enchanted, taking in every dip and feature there. "Rory?"

Their eyes met. "Hmm?"

"I was wondering if, well, maybe-" He broke their eye contact and looked down, running a hand through his hair. Why was he having so much trouble? It wasn't as if he's never done this before.

"Yes?" she urged.

"Maybe you'd like to go out sometime," he finally spit out.

"For coffee?" she asked.

"For coffee," he confirmed.

Rory's lips split into a wide smile that showed that she had been waiting for him to ask her that. "Sure."

Tristan unconsciously let out a breath that he'd been holding in. "I knew you'd fall susceptible to my charms one day or another, Gilmore," he teased.

She rolled her eyes. "Ever so modest, DuGrey." She suddenly became unexpectedly nervous, shifting her weight back and forth from one leg to the other and biting her lip. "So, is this the part where I give you my number?"

He frowned. "I already have your number."

"I know, but to keep with tradition and all," Rory explained. "Wouldn't want to tempt the fates."

Tristan laughed as she took out a piece of paper and scribbled her number on it. "Thank you, Rory. So, I guess I'd better get going so I can call you."

Rory smiled at him again. "Goodnight, Tristan."

He took her hand and kissed her knuckles. "Goodnight, Rory."

He turned around, but faced her again when she called out, "Tristan?"

"Yeah?" he asked.

She wrapped her arms around his neck and lightly pressed her lips to his. When she pulled away, he just looked at her. She pointed up.

"Mistletoe."

-End-

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A/N2: Yes, that was the end of the story. Thank you to everybody who stayed with me the whole way! I loved writing this story, and I love everybody who loved it! It's a bit redundant, I know, but still! Hope to see you all soon reviewing for another story! Haha. Not to self-promote myself or anything….


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